Substance
by Johnclaw Dragonhelm
Summary: When a man working on a Matter device suddenly has Vocaloids come to life on his screen, what will he do? Relationships include (but are not limited to) MikuxMaster. (Johnclaw Dragonhelm) Co-authored by NA6425.
1. Chapter 1: A Program

Author's Note: I am a huge follower of the author's note theory and practice, in case you were wondering why these are always here. Anyway, this is the 2 re-write of this story and I finally hit on an inspiration (aside from my always present Kirei no Tamashii). No spoilers though!

Also, as of a recent review, I will add that IN REAL LIFE DARK MATTER DOESN'T WORK LIKE THIS, SO DON'T TAKE IT TO HEART.

**Chapter 1: A Program**

For the millionth time that winter, I found myself laughing at Lance's terrible programming jokes. I didn't even know why I thought they were funny, let alone half the context of the jokes. But eating lunch during our work break, there wasn't much else to do.

This project has consumed our time, and we didn't have many plans as to what we would do afterward. It just swept us in and wrapped us in problems. Problems our genius refused to let go. We simply HAD to unravel its secrets.

The device was proving harder to design than we originally thought. I glanced over at the skeleton of a mechanical marvel we had designed up to this point. It was shaped like a rocket, with four supports separating it into quarters. Between the supports and their connecting braces, bulletproof glass was tightly sealed into place. It would have been safer to just have it made completely out of metal, but we needed to be able to watch the reaction within in order to document it.

Some days I would stare at it from the couch, trying to grasp the solution to this conundrum. The device was supposed to work by taking the dark energy from the area around it and bombarding it with data. The data would be interpreted and the matter would come out in a specific form based on the data transmitted.

But its development had been stalled multiple times, each time increasingly harder to solve. The first time had been trying to find an area that possessed sufficient dark energy to make anything of even the smallest size. Luckily, we had discovered the jackpot. Our tip-off was the fact that the blocks surrounding this area had often experienced electrical difficulties. The expanding matter field around dark energy would throw off the ability of electricity to pass properly.

After tracking the hotspot down, I had rented this apartment to live in while we studied. Lance and I still worked, him on wiring, and me with teaching Biology to high schoolers. I easily had enough to support myself with what the school was paying me.

But other things we were still figuring out. The annoying amount of data and trials it took nearly drove us to quit, but we'd always pull through. Lance had guessed it would take a year more of work to properly figure it all out. He had put up a little flip calendar that showed the date he predicted to be finished by.

I glanced out the window at the bright day outside. It seemed too nice to be inside. "You know, I think we should take the day off. Surely Lisa wouldn't mind if you spent some time with her."

Lance nodded with a smile. Lisa was his unofficial girlfriend, and he absolutely adored her. She was very tolerant of his work habits, and he made it up to her when they did hang out. She made constant jokes that I was stealing him from her. "I wouldn't mind it myself."

"Then go ahead. Don't want her thinking worse of me!" I said with a smile. Lance laughed and thanked me as he packed up his stuff and headed out the door. I smiled to him as the door closed with a click. Looking about, I tried to think of something to do in his absence.

It was nice out, but there was nowhere I wanted to go. Nor anyone to go with. Unlike Lance, I had not been graced with someone to care about me. Sadly, my thoughts began to slide. I shook my head. I wasn't going to allow myself to go there.

Sighing, I walked over and sat down in front of my work station (a rather cluttered desk with a laptop that was connected to a half a dozen cables). Flipping the laptop open, I thought of all the things I could do to pass the afternoon. I could work, but I had just sent Lance away saying it was too nice to work. Working now would just seem strange.

Finally I settled on trying to finish my side project. I had been trying to develop an English voicebank for the program VOCALOID. I had a lot of them (Miku, Kaito, Meiko, Rin, Len, Neru, and Haku) so it had taken a while. But the news of the VOCALOID Trans-Pacific movement had spurred me into finishing it. I just had to upload the last few files to my interface to be complete.

Looking through the sound files, I couldn't seem to find them. Leaning back in my chair, I pondered where they could be. Sighing, I decided to take the lazy man's way out. Mousing up to the top-right of the box, I clicked the search bar. I typed: VOCALOID ENGLISH SOUNBANKS. I knew that I had named that file as such (wherever it was).

It would take a while for the computer to complete the search (the laptop itself was a Terabyte, never mind the external hardrives), so I decided to listen to some music in the meantime. I started with a version of The Parting Glass ( watch?v=q4egb2gpIg4) that I'd adapted to Haku's voice.

It was maybe an hour later when the search finished. It had taken longer than normal, but that was probably because most of the time I ran it by itself, rather than while running another program. Opening the window, I smiled as I saw the files. Selecting them all, I copy-pasted them to my sound folder for easy retrieval.

I got to work uploading the files to the interface and opened up the program, excited to finish my work...

...and suddenly there they were. Looking around like a group of tourists lost in the park.

The Vocaloids were on my desktop.

I leaned closer to make try and figure out what had happened. That's when one of them spoke. It was Rin. "OH MY GOD! WHAT IS THAT?!" She pointed through the screen, directly at me.

With a yell of surprise I slammed the screen closed and jumped to a standing position. I could feel my heart pounding and my breath erratic. What was that?

"Why'd it go dark?" I heard Miku say. Breathing deeply, I slowly lifted the laptop lid. The screen turned on and I found myself looking at the 2 inch tall people. A moment of silence passed as I sat back down and set my hands on the keyboard and mouse. I quietly regarded them for a minute.

"HEY HUMUNGO!" Meiko broke the silence. "ANY ALIVE IN THERE?"

I quickly turned down the sound (much to Meiko's annoyance). "How...probably a virus..." I muttered while opening a window. The Vocaloids quickly ducked as it took up the upper part of the screen. I tried to ignore the reaction. I found my virus protection and quickly ran it on my desktop.

The results came back. NO VIRUSES DETECTED. I stared at the words in disbelief. I simply couldn't believe it. I changed the parameters to search ALL of the computer. It would take a long time, but there had to be some explanation.

After several minutes of staring at the bar loading, I hesitantly looked down at the small figures. Most were arrayed in bored occupations. Neru was checking her phone, Haku was passed out, Len was pondering, Kaito was sleeping, and Miku was trying to calm Meiko down. Where was...

A couple of hands wrapped around the top of the virus checker box. Slowly, Rin peeked over the top, before pulling herself onto the top, dangling her legs off. I saw that she had moved my folders to form a stair case to climb up. Annoyed, I sent them back to their original position. "What are you doing?" I asked pointedly.

"No need to be cross with me" Rin retorted. "I was bored and wanted to do something. Not my fault you're boring." She stuck her tongue out at me.

I held back my frustration as I looked back at my search. Rin swung her legs back and forth a bit, being rather bored. Finally she tried to get my attention. "What are you doing anyway?"

Looking up briefly, I almost answered, before remembering it was just a program that could be stealing my personal information. I angrily turned back to the bar. It was loading so slowly...

"Hey!" Rin yelled at me. "Would it kill you to be a little friendly and talk to me?"

Sighing, I looked at her. She looked back, honest curiosity in her eyes. For a brief second, I felt the connection of human talking to human, rather than a program. Perhaps that's what made me decide to speak.

"I'm running a scan on my laptop to figure out what happened." Rin's face changed to confusion.

"Happened to what?"

"My laptop. I think it may have been infected with something. Specifically, you." Upon seeing Rin's hurt expression, I quickly explained. "It's nothing against you. It just seems unlikely something like you would just pop up and be harmless."

Rin looked like she understood, though still offended. But knowing how people portrayed Rin, this was pretty good behavior for her. Thinking upon it a bit more, I realized she was probably scared. "Why don't you hop down and talk with Len for a bit. He seems too immersed in his thoughts." I knew Rin wouldn't resist a chance to annoy her brother.

She smiled and popped a few sticky notes up so she could climb down (it was strange to see my desktop used as so). Soon, Len's ponderings were done and he good-naturedly was trying to shrug off Rin's incessant chattering.

I heard a couple of the Vocaloids talking and looked over to the right side. Haku had woken up and Meiko had pulled her to her feet. They were talking with Neru and discussing song choices. It seemed they eventually settled on the Chorus version of Daughter of Evil.

"Hey Miku" Haku said quietly. Looking over, I briefly saw Miku had been looking at me. Now she was looking at Haku. "Yes Haku?"

"Want to sing with us?" She offered. The group looked over with a smile. Miku gave a small smile. "Not this time. No thanks."

The group looked mildly confused, and concerned (even Neru had a flash of it on her face). Unsuredly, they began to sing, glancing over at Miku, who was sitting, hugging her legs.

I began to worry. This seemed very out of character for Miku. I looked down at her with concern. Her aqua eyes were focused on the ground just in front of her feet. She sat silently, not even humming.

"Miku?" I asked quietly. She didn't give any recognition she heard me. "Miku?"

She turned and I could see the fear in her eyes. I could see the turmoil of pain and determination to hide it in there. I felt a sharp pain in my chest as I felt for her. "Yes Master?"

"Want to talk?" As she eyed the singing Vocaloids, I could tell she didn't want to talk in front of them. "I have an idea. Hold on a second."

I retrieved my iPod from the nightstand and quickly hurried back. Seizing one of the cords, I plugged it in. Soon, it had finished synching and I looked down at Miku, who bore an expression of confusion.

"I hooked up the iPod. You can hop into it and we can go talk somewhere where you don't have to worry about the others." I honestly didn't know what made me feel this way. All I knew is that it was the right thing.

Miku looked anxious and conflicted. It was obvious she wanted to talk, but she was already afraid. This did not help the anxiety she was feeling. "Trust me" I said gently. Our eyes locked and I could see her fears dissipate slightly.

"Alright..." she mumbled, barely audible. I opened up the window and she climbed into it. It almost looked like she was jumping down to another side of the screen as she disappeared behind the bottom of the window.

A few seconds later, I saw her walk onto the screen of my iPod. I disconnected my iPod, grabbed my headphones and started towards the door. "Be back soon!" I yelled to the Vocaloids. "If anyone but me comes in, hide." They shouted back their acknowledgement (Rin in particular with a degree of volume).

Gently closing the door behind me, I soon began walking down the sidewalk, feeling the cold evening air. The day time heat was beginning to disperse, and the typical cold winter night slid in like a phantom. As we walked, I thought of a way to get Miku to talk...

Hurrah! Finally got that one out!


	2. Chapter 2: A Cold Winter Night

Author's Note: It may be slightly beyond my capacity to write 4 stories at once, but I will try my best. Besides, I have help over here. I would again like to note that some of the stories on this profile are not mine, but my sister's. You will see we have marked in the description who's is who's. Thank you for reading both the author's note and the story.

**Chapter 2: A Cold Winter Night**

Headphones in, I strolled down the sidewalk in no particular direction. Spotting the park, I decided to head there. Walking under the darkened trees, I couldn't help but notice it was a beautifully chilled night. I could see the stars through the trees. Only in this park could you get a clear view of them. The rest of the city was too enclosed and blocked the sky with light.

"Hey Miku" I said, not worrying about being overheard, as there was no one else around. "Look up. Aren't the stars beautiful?"

Tilting the IPod so it faced the sky, I heard a soft gasp as she caught sight of the sky. Looking down, I could see Miku staring wide-eyed at the twinkling lights above, her eyes full of wonder and amazement. Smiling, I remembered she had never seen them before. She was new to this world, and everything would be an experience.

Smiling, she "sat" down on the bottom of the screen. Still looking up at the sky, she began to speak. "Is this what the world is like?"

"Not all of it, but most of this world is filled with wonder, but it's not always as apparent as the stars. They're a shining example of wonder, but even they disappear during the day. Everywhere you go in this world there's something to look at in awe. From the forests to the open sky to the shining sides of skyscrapers, this world is a wonder" I explained. I had never felt this sagely before, and it surprised me.

But it seemed to have gotten to Miku, and she smiled a soft smile that made me feel warm despite the cold. "So this world isn't that bad?"

"No, or at least, I don't think so. There are people who have lost their wonder, and they don't enjoy it as much, but I don't think you'll have that problem" I assured. She gave a small nod and looked up at the stars. Breathing out, I watched my breath roll in the cold air. I got the feeling that something had changed this night, and probably for the better.

"Feeling better now Miku?"

She nodded. "A lot better. Thank you Master."

"Adam. Just call me Adam. In this world, we address each other by name, and only rarely by honorifics, like Master."

"Alright. Adam it is. Well, thank you Adam. I was terrified before, but if the world is as you say it is, then I'm far less afraid to face it now."

"No problem, and if you ever need support, I'm here. So don't be afraid to ask."

"Thanks again, and I will. I need to stay strong. For my family" she said determinately. I politely laughed at her expression.

"Speaking of them, we should probably head back. Might think we ran off on them." I said with a laugh.

Several minutes earlier...

Kaito turned around to see Meiko gathering everybody around just after Master and Miku left. She began talking loudly. "Place your bets! Come on people!"

Kaito pushed through the group to see Meiko had opened a word document and was writing names under columns. "What is going on here?" he asked.

"Just taking bets" Meiko speedily answered while pointing to the other Vocaloids. "Come on, someone must have a bet!"

"What are you betting on?" Kaito asked impatiently. Meiko whipped about and seized his scarf.

"Don't get short with me mister" she said with fire in her eyes. Setting him down roughly, she added "We're placing bets on Miku and the Master."

"Wait, like how?"

"If they'll fall for each other silly" Rin giggled. Kaito realized how childish they were behaving and sighed, turning his back to the pointless activity. To say he wasn't tempted though would have been a lie.

Meanwhile, Meiko was getting frustrated by the lack of bets. "Fine, how about this? I'll force Len to make the first bet, then the rest of you place yours."

There was a general support of this idea. Rin began giggling maniacally as he held Len's arm so he couldn't escape. Neru was laughing hysterically and leaning on Haku for support. Even Kaito and Haku were smiling. "But...but..." Len tried to protest.

"No choice kid" Meiko said with a wicked smile, grabbing his collar and hauling him over. She held him up of the ground in front of the Word document. Squirming and trying to get free, Meiko gave Len a good shaking. "Come on, bet!"

"Fine! Fine! I vote No!" he blurted out. Meiko dropped the kid and scrawled his name in. The other Vocaloids were cheering while Len crawled away. "Who's next!?" Meiko called.

Rin skipped forward, voting Yes. Neru casually signed the No side, followed by Haku, who voted yes. Neru shrugged when she say the disparity in yes' and no's. She couldn't care less. Slowly, all but Meiko and Kaito filed off into the folder they had come from for the night.

"Come on Kaito" Meiko urged. "Place a bet."

"What were you betting with anyway? We don't have anything."

"Favors. If you lose, you owe everyone on the other side an individual favor. If you win, you get a favor from everyone on the losing side. Simple" she stated.

Kaito rolled his eyes. "I am not betting."

"Come on you ice cream loving baka" Meiko said while seizing the ends of his scarf. Kaito tried to escape, but the brunette's grasp was too strong.

It was at that moment Master came back. Meiko smiled and minimized the window as he walked over. Master raised an eyebrow at the sight of Meiko choking Kaito, but made no move to intervene. He sighed and plugged his IPod in. Miku walked onto the screen, looking blissfully tranquil, to the point where she didn't even try to help Kaito out (he wasn't even sure she noticed).

"Good night guys" she said as she passed. As she was about to hop into the folder, she turned and looked at Master. "Good night Adam" she said with a smile.

"Sleep well Miku. See you tomorrow" he said with a broad smile. Miku hopped in and he turned to leave. "Oh, and you too. Don't kill each other or stay up too late. Night." And with that, he left.

"Adam?" Meiko said with a entertained grin. "She called him Adam..."

"Will you let go now?" Kaito choked out. Meiko tightened her grip and smiled.

"You have to vote. Come on."

"One condition" Kaito countered. Meiko looked at him curiously. It wasn't like Kaito to act like this usually.

"That is?"

"My vote goes purely against yours. This is only between us, not the rest of them."

"Fine by me" Meiko smiled. It made it more fun that way. Now she could prove herself right over the idiot.

"I vote Yes" Kaito said.

"But I was going to..." Meiko began angrily.

"Too late. I already voted. And we can't vote the same thing" he said with a smile.

"Too bad you didn't name not harming you as a condition" she said with a smirk. Kaito's eyes went wide and he tried to dodge her grasp. She seized his scarf, but this time Kaito was prepared. He let the scarf go and dove for the folder.

"Come back here baka!" she roared.

Hurray! I know it's short, but it's more like chapter 1.5.


	3. Chapter 3: A Not So Normal Day

Author's Note: SORRY FOR MY ABSENCE! DON'T KILL ME! In other news, I have been enjoying life recently. Went to my first real dance and had fun with friends. Been dreaming up story ideas, and am actually working on a Manga with a friend. Enough of my inane babbling! Onto the story!

**Chapter 3: A Not-So-Normal Day**

As the morning sunbeams hit my face, I stirred, feeling the comforting weight of my blankets enveloping me. Smiling, I cracked open my eyes. Looking out the glass porch door, I could see the city below the balcony. The shimmering skyscrapers reflected the rising sun, a kaleidoscope of orange and purple hues. The morning sound of cars whizzing by and a bird chirp from the park were the standard.

Sitting up, I stretched, feeling a comfortable feeling settle into my muscles. Looking over at the alarm clock on the night stand, I saw it was about 6:30. It would be about a hour and a half before Lance came over so we could continue our work. We'd first have to figure out how to stabilize the input matrix function, as it was experiencing some spikes. I had done some work trying to figure it out before...

Suddenly last night's events came back to me. Had it really happened? It seemed so impossible, so fantastic. It would be easy to disregard it as never happening. But it had stuck in my memory, too real to be a lucid dream. And that much time simply couldn't have simply passed.

Slipping on a pair of faded jeans, I glanced through the doorway. The living room was quiet, but nonetheless I could see my laptop's screen was open. Only the wave screen-saver was showing though. Grabbing a gray t-shirt, I put it on as I sat in front of the computer.

Even before I awoke it, I heard a light hum. It's ethereal tune slowly drifted through the air and the notes hung like chimes in a gentle summer wind. Shaking the mouse slightly to wake the computer, I saw the source.

Miku was currently sitting on the taskbar, legs dangling over the edge. Her eyes were closed, and she sang a small, delicate tune. Her voice flowed like smooth silk as she let the words flow together easily. I had never heard Miku sound so real as now. This was like a human voice, and it sent chills down my spine.

Opening her aqua eyes, she smiled gently and waved to me. "Good morning Adam" she said cheerfully.

Her smile was catching, and I felt it creep onto my face. "Morning Miku. How'd you sleep?"

"Just fine, thanks for asking" she said happily. "And you?"

"Pretty good actually. Woke up feeling great!" I said over my shoulder as I headed to the kitchen. Even as I made a bowl of cereal, I could see Miku smiling at me from the monitor. Though I normally ate at the breakfast bar, I decided that since I had "company", I would sit at my work desk. I moved the swivel chair in front of a small clearing amidst the cable carnage, normally reserved for paperwork.

Taking a bite of my cereal, I thought about what I would do with the Vocaloids. Miku interrupted my thoughtful munching. "What's bothering you Adam?" she asked, eyes full of concern.

"Just thinking about what I'm going to do now. I haven't really thought this out." I tried to convey a sense of comfort by faking a smile and trying to hold myself up. Thankfully, Miku was new to the world, so she wasn't able to recognize I was lying.

"I'm sure you'll think of something Adam" she said confidently. Those words were like a knife to the gut. "She is trusting me so implicitly. She doesn't know anyone but me, so she has no reason to not trust someone. And I'm trying to make her feel safe when there's so much that can go wrong." And yet, I kept smiling, as if the idea of trying to help was enough.

"I don't know if Ginormo can do it" said a slurred voice. It was soon followed by a rather tired looking Meiko. She gave me a half sleepy, half teasing smile, though she was leaning on the edge of the screen for support.

"You alright Meiko?" I asked, my concern edging into my voice.

"No need to worry yourself...what was your name again? Oh Adam, right. I think I'll stick to Ginormo" she said with a large grin. I rolled my eyes at the blatant poke to my position. "So what's the plan Ginormo? What have you got scheduled?"

As if on cue, I heard a knock on the door. Shit! It was Lance! I had completely forgotten we had to work! Quickly I looked down at the screen. Leaning close, I tried to keep my voice down. "You two, hide, and when you do, tell the others not to come out unless I say so. Okay?"

Miku nodded enthusiastically and ran off the screen, though she spared a worried glance at me. I flashed a brief smile. Meiko looked at me for a moment, then simply stated: "You owe me an explanation" and walked off.

Satisfied, I rallied my control together and pulled my focus back to the door. Rushing over, I opened it as calmly as I could. Just as I thought, Lance was there. He stood smiling, laptop under one arm and his clothes mildly crooked, looking just as goofy as ever.

"Hey man!" he said enthusiastically. He used his spare hand to clap me on the shoulder. Smiling back kindly, but rotting away nervously, I invited him in. Happily, he plopped onto the couch, whipping his laptop onto the table and began booting it up. Already, I could see that thoughts were whizzing through his head like crazy. I stifled back a chuckle.

Picking my laptop off the desk and sitting across from Lance, I looked at the screen. None of the Vocaloids were there, thank God. Now all I had to do was withstand the day with Lance...

"Hey astronaut! Stop spacing out on me!" he jested good-naturedly. "We have to get working. Hook up your computer so we can start." Shit. Using the cord meant he had access to my computer. We always used it to share work, but it wasn't gonna help the fact I was trying keep the Vocaloids hidden.

Thankfully Lance didn't notice my expression, and I hesitantly grabbed the cord and hooked it up. When it asked whether I wanted to allow access to my files, I quickly checked "Only selected ones". It seemed luck was on my side, as Lance didn't notice this when the notification popped up.

Soon, we began tapping away at the keys, attempting to crack the elusive coding that was needed to complete the program. Normally, I was intensely focused, and my keystrokes came as fast as was humanely possible. But today was different. I found that more than once, I looked around the screen, almost wishing I could see one of the Vocaloids. Smiling, I realized I had already become attached to them.

"Hey man" Lance said, a tint of worry in his voice. Looking up, I gave him an idle smile. "You're zoning out again." He laughed. "You're falling behind me! If you don't hurry, my name will go first when we release this!" His broad smile made it so I had to smile as well.

He didn't notice the sigh as I turned back to my work.

"What are we supposed to do in the meanwhile?" Rin asked as Meiko stood in front of them, explaining Adam's orders. Rin's expression was that of a kid who'd been denied recess.

"Wait here until he says the coast is clear. When he does, then we're free to wander."

"But that's so booooooorrrrrrriiiiiinnnnngg " Rin whined. Meiko sighed and pinched her forehead with her thumb and index finger.

"Rin" she said eerily calm. "Your complaining isn't helping any of us, so I recommend you cut it out now, or I will think of an appropriate consequence." Rin quieted right down. When Meiko threatened you like that, you knew she was on the border of doing something really horrible to you, and everyone (even Neru) had the sense to avoid that meltdown.

"Why don't we play a game of Minesweeper Rin?" Len cautiously spoke to his sister. She nodded quietly, keeping her eyes on Meiko as they left, as if expecting her to jump forth and slay her on the spot. Meiko sighed and leaned against the wall of the "room" they were in.

"I think Meiko should be given some time to rest" Kaito whispered to the others. They nodded hurriedly and left, tripping over their own feet. Meiko looked up at Kaito.

"I thought you were leaving too baka." Kaito just shrugged.

"You look like you need someone to talk to, and I know you try to be strong for the others."

"I..." Meiko started, holding her fist out angrily, but she realized there was no point arguing with Kaito. He knew too much about her. "I just don't want to admit it."

"Admit what?" Kaito asked curiously. He tilted his head as he thought. It was unlike Meiko to hold back. You could always tell exactly what she was thinking, usually because she put that "emotion" behind her voice and blew you away with a tirade.

"That I'm..." she trailed off. Kaito drew his lips together, now very worried. For Meiko not to say what was on her mind was highly unusual, and usually meant that something was DRASTICALLY wrong.

"Are you alright Meiko?" Kaito asked softly while touching a hand to her shoulder. Then he saw something that stopped his heart. He never thought he'd see it. A tear slid down Meiko's cheek, followed by another. Kaito could feel her shaking to hold them back.

Wrapping Kaito tightly in a hug, she held back the tears, though he could still feel one or two hit his shoulder. "I'm afraid Kaito. I don't know what's going on and where we are. All we have is a man that keeps us in a box and for all intensive purposes, is God. Everything is so strange. Just look at this "room"."

Kaito had noticed. They weren't in any room like that beyond the screen. The "room" was made of long streams of green numbers, all moving by rapidly to junctions where they flowed elsewhere. Occasionally they clustered into a file, but that was only if you moved into the memory. Here, they were stuck in the program files.

Kaito pulled Meiko closer and held her tight. "Trust me Meiko, things will be fine. I'm sure Adam is a good man, and that he'll take care of us. Besides, I know you won't let your family down" he added with a smile. "You're too stubborn."

"And you're such an idiot" she teased with a smile. Kaito was inwardly happy to see her stop crying, though he didn't let it slip. This was still Meiko. She punched him lightly in the arm. "Don't let this go to your head baka. I still will make your life hell."

"I'd ask who you were if you did anything else" Kaito replied with a smile. He and Meiko both started laughing, their spirits lightened.

"How do you do it Len?" Len turned to face the voice that came from behind him. Standing there was Neru, looking tired, having just woken up. _She sure does sleep hard,_ Len thought.

"Do what?"

"Maintain your sanity" she said as she took a seat beside him. They sat above where Rin was obsessively trying to get a high score in Minesweeper. She was yelling her thoughts out like she was by herself. "You put up with Rin every day, and still manage to be kind to her. Everyone knows you're a shota" she nudged him. "And yet you put up with us."

"It's not that hard really. I just learned to shrug it off. Everything seems to matter less then" Len replied with a shrug.

"That doesn't sound good Len. If you let the feelings slip away, then life will seem rather droll and pointless" Neru said as her gaze drifted away. _What is she hiding?_, Len wondered.

"Sometimes it's better to let it sweep over you. Like a rock in the tide. Over time, it will become smooth and the waves pass right over it. And it remains there, stable as always" Len said with a poetic expression. Neru had to admit she was mildly impressed.

"Well poet, let me give you a piece of advice. The rock erodes eventually. And then you're dust in the wind." With that, Neru stood and wandered off into the tunnels. Len glanced back at Rin, then decided to turn to follow Neru. _What did she mean by that?_

Suddenly, an arm stopped Len. It was Haku. "I wouldn't Len."

"Is something wrong?"

"When Neru gets like this, it's generally better she has some time to herself. She doesn't act like it, but she's actually deeply emotional. She just doesn't let anyone see it. Quite frankly, I'm surprised she said anything to you."

Len looked down the tunnel where Neru had gone. He felt inclined to follow, but Haku was Neru's best friend, and probably knew better than he did. Sighing reluctantly, he nodded and returned to watching his sister. She had just gotten another record.

And I think that's all the characters? Anyway, sorry for the lateness! I AM SO SORRY!


	4. Chapter 4: Back to Work

Author's Note: Hello and welcome back to the story! I hope you're all doing well out there in the land of internets! I take this time to point you in the direction of an exceptional fic. You don't have to follow it, but I would highly recommend it. The title is Jurassic Park Broken Lives, and as you can guess, it is a Jurassic Park fic. You don't have to be a fan to appreciate the story, but it helps. I recommend it no matter who you are, as it is a moving fic that really had an influence on me, being the thing that inspired me to write. Anyway, hope you all enjoy the chapter!

As usual, shout-outs to helpers. KKBatoretto for their help with inspiring this, and my kirei no tamashii for her inspiration in my days.

**Chapter 4: Back to Work!**

I waved Lance goodbye as he left, laptop in the crook of his elbow. I was eager to get him out as fast as I could so I could welcome the Vocaloids back. He seemed a little confused by my behavior, but left quickly nonetheless. Soon, I was alone.

Swiftly walking over, I flipped open the laptop screen. Settling down, I quickly switched on my microphone. "Hello? Can you all hear me? You can come out now." Soon, Miku peeked her head around the corner of the screen. Smiling, she looked up at me.

"Hello Adam" she said cheerfully.

"Hey Miku. Where are the others?" She shrugged.

"They should be here in a bit" she answered sweetly. Sitting on the taskbar, she smiled brightly and beamed at me. "So what should we do now? According to the clock, it's only 4. There's still plenty of time in the day."

"Don't know. Not much you guys can do in your state. Being trapped in a laptop does have its disadvantages" I replied. Miku's face fell a little. Quickly, I scrambled to cheer her up. "Hey, don't look so sad. I may have a way to fix that eventually."

Miku's eyes went wide. Excitedly, she stood up and was bouncing with excitement. "Really?! How?" Laughing, I began to explain the E-M Device. I summed it up in the simplest form as a matter generator. It could take anything and make it. Miku seemed surprisingly interested in it, rather different from most people So I decided to go a bit more in-depth.

"See, when I program the proper electroharmonics, and pulse them in sequence through the dark matter containment..."

"...then the dark matter responds by subsequencing the signal and fluxuating to create the desired material" Miku finished for me. Now it was my turn to be surprised. "How did you..?"

Miku shrugged with a smile. "I followed what you were saying. Despite how I look, I'm not a complete airhead" she added with a laugh. "Besides, it helps that I have some of it programmed into me from when we appeared. It's literally in my head."

"Guess you have the advantage on me then, don't you?" I laughed.

"You're still the genius who came up with the theory" Miku pointed out. I shook my head.

"Lance played a huge part in this as well. He developed a lot of the technological section."

"But without your theory of dark matter, as well as location methods, the idea would never have been feasible" she countered. Miku was surprising me even more with her grasp of the subject. I knew I'd have to treat her with the respect a colleague deserved, rather than some young air-headed girl.

"Hey Adam?" she asked, interrupting my thoughts. "Yes Miku?"

"Who is Lance?" She looked honestly interested. I realized they hadn't met him, and yet he played a vital part in this project.

"Lance is my friend and fellow developer. He was the one who was here earlier" I explained. Miku smiled and got the excited glint in her eyes again.

"Can we meet him sometime?" she asked. I dropped my smile and pondered how to respond. "Is something wrong Adam?"

"No, it's just...even as a good friend of mine, I don't know how he'd react to you guys. He could do something that could put you in danger or otherwise terrible. I want nothing more than your safety" I explained. "Maybe someday, after we finish the device, but right now, I don't think that'd work."

Miku looked a little crestfallen, but quickly hid it. "Okay Adam, I understand. I just wanted to meet the man that you call your friend." The innocent look she gave me tore straight through me, and I wanted nothing more than to change my mind and let her meet him.

"I understand, but right now you..." I began, but soon a thought began turning in my head. Before working on the E-M device, I had idea for a bunch of other inventions. Most I couldn't pull off at the time, but there was one I had heard about a while ago that I could easily create.

Getting up quickly, I began searching a nearby closet of parts for the parts I needed. I was soon pulling out T.V. remotes, receptors, flashlights, projectors, and other assorted things. "What are you doing Adam?" Miku called out from the computer.

As I carried the pieces to an open space of the apartment, I spoke over my shoulder. "I had an idea. I need you to go through some files for me. Find my safe first" I ordered as I began unscrewing the machines.

I could hear Miku mumbling as she went through the files, reading the names and thinking aloud. "Okay! At the safe! It's asking for a password!" she replied.

Nodding, I replied; "I know, I set it to. The password is Clarissa. Named it after a Lilligant I had in one of my Pokémon games. Now look for "Old Projects"." I began laying out the pieces I needed and pulling wires.

"Now what?" she yelled. Screwing some parts together and testing the swivel, I yelled back; "Look for HP."

"HP, HP, HP..." I could hear her searching down the list. "What are you mumbling about Miku?" I heard Meiko ask. Glancing over my shoulder, I could see the others arriving. There was Rin, Len, Kaito, Meiko, Haku, and...no Neru. I'd have to ask where she was in a moment.

Miku's eyes went wide as she read the document. "Adam, is this what I think it is?" Nodding, I began attaching pieces together. Miku began jumping with excitement as she read more, her eyes skimming lightning fast over the words, absorbing it all.

"What's got you all riled up?" Kaito asked. Miku kept reading as she spoke. "It's a holography projector. It creates free-floating images from a pair of light beams. The interaction between them is fascinating. Just look at this! [UO+UR]2 = UOUR+[UR]2+[UO]2+UOUR, it's utterly fascinating! The way the simple wave beam interacts...it's just stunning. And the computations get even more amazing as you move forward!"

The other Vocaloids looked to Miku with looks of utter confusion, or like she had just grown a second head. Noticing the glances, she paused. "What?"

Looking up at the wall of text, then back at Miku, Rin spoke. "You understand all this? It all looks like gibberish to me."

"It looks like gibberish to all of us" Meiko added. Miku tilted her head. "But we're all the same program...I thought you knew this" Miku trailed confusedly.

Strange, I thought. If Miku got the programming for understanding complex formulas, then what did the rest get, and why? What had caused her to understand this? It made no logic sense, at least, none that I could conjure at the moment. I decided to pull Miku from her spiraling thoughts. "Hey Miku, I need you to read the section on laser guidance for me."

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she began reading the section off, adding embellishments as she saw new permutations. She pointed out things I never thought about, like refractory lasers throwing off the system. With a few adjustments, I began to pull the paneling together and soon had a set of projectors. The system was elegantly simple. Two projectors were all that was needed to give the illusion. One to send light, one to interpret it. That was all the tech-savvy it took (thank God, for I had only a small technological understanding).

I began hanging the projectors in innocuous, but clear places. I placed them in the living room, the kitchen, and on the deck. Going back to the closet, I found a set of wireless receptors I had prepared for this specific purpose. I smiled as I remembered the day I had given up on holography, setting these in for some future project. Now I would get to fulfill their purpose, and recognize holography as a tech. I hooked them up to the holography devices.

Sticking the receptor in my laptop, I began searching through my files to find the abandoned program that went with them. After about 70 files, I found the one I was looking for. I initialized it, and soon found myself looking at the interface.

The Vocaloids looked up in wonder at the design. Everywhere, graph, flashing numbers, and formulae were scattered, of which only the trained eye could interpret. Smiling, Miku turned to me. "You did it Adam. I knew you were a genius."

Smiling, I felt a hint of a blush creeping up. Trying to get the attention away from me, I motioned to the input. "Want to take her for a spin?" I asked Miku. She nodded happily and climbed into the load out. She was scanned, smiling at me the whole time.

Turning, I soon found myself looking at the coalescing form of Miku, the lights beginning to form her body. Slowly, the figure of Miku took shape. Finally the light died down and she stood in her glory. Her thin figure elegantly supplanted by her techno-edge garb made her appear delicate, but the fire in her teal eyes and the smile she bore said otherwise. Her long, teal hair flowed delicately, a rather interesting piece of programming. To say I owed Lance, who had developed the program, was an understatement.

Standing, I slowly walked to her, and we stared each other in the eyes. Reaching up gently, she held her hand, palm out. Smiling sadly, I passed me hand right through hers. But instead of being sad, she smiled and hugged me, and though I couldn't feel her body, I could feel the happiness. Unsuredly, I hugged the projection back.

Letting go of me, she began skipping around. Smiling, she twirled and spun, before sitting in a chair and giggling. "This is so amazing Adam! It's fantastic!" then she added, smiling slightly melancholically, "Too bad I'm not actually here."

"Don't worry Miku, soon enough, we'll finish the E-M device, and then I think we'll be able to do that." Miku smiled at me, then glanced over at the computer. She smiled as she looked down at her friends.

"Is this how we look all the time? We are tiny! Why don't you guys join us?" she offered smiling. Reluctantly, Rin came through next, but soon was enjoying playing with Miku. Meiko and Kaito helped Haku through, comforting her when she nearly had a panic attack. It was strange to see Meiko that tender and gentle. I couldn't help but smile.

Looking back, I saw Len staring off-screen. "What's the matter?" Glancing at me, he replied; "Neru's still back there, and she seemed a bit out-of-sorts. I'm gonna find her and make sure everything's alright."

"Okay, do what you feel is necessary. I'll make sure your sister doesn't notice your absence" I replied, smiling. It appeared Miku was rubbing off on me. Nodding, Len strode off my desktop. Turning, I joined the others for some fun.

That took a while! Too bad I can't always type like this! Also, any suggestions for how to improve any chapter are appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5: Tsun-tsun vs Dere-dere

Author's Note: Hello and welcome back. I hope you've all been well. I've been doing a lot of stuff recently, so pardon my lack of story writing. Anyway, glad to finally get back to writing.

Just wanted to point out if anyone's interested, TvTropes has a great page on the quality of what a Tsundere is. I found it really helpful to get into the mindset for this chapter.

The poem is property of Desiree Kimbrue, and I wish I could claim it, but it's her's.

Chapter 5: Tsun-tsun vs. Dere-dere

"Neru!?" Len called into the tunnels of coding. She had to be somewhere around here. "Neru!?"

"Quiet down shota" came Neru's soft voice a little bit down the tunnel. Len put his hands down to his sides and rounded the corner, finding her looking into a large room of coding. She appeared to minimize something just before he appeared. Len decided not to ask her about it right now, knowing how she could be.

"Is there are particular reason you came to find me?" Neru said, turning her head slightly, looking at him past her side-ponytail. For some reason, this look made Len's heart skip a beat. Shaking his head, he sat against the wall a few feet away from her.

"You worried me" he responded, trying to keep neutral. He knew Neru could get angry when people showed concern for her. All part of her Tsun nature. He knew it was her defense, and respected that.

But apparently, Neru didn't believe that. "I know there's gotta be something else, so spill it." Len briefly considered lying, but he was terrible at that. With a sigh, he replied; "Ok, there's a little more to it."

Neru looked at him expectantly. "Truth is, I know you can be a bit Tsun sometimes" he began, trying not to cringe under Neru's withering glare. "But I also know it helps to talk. So I figured it might as well be me."

"Okay, knight in shining armor" she replied sarcastically. Len laughed. "I wish. I'm just the one used to the most abuse, so I figured you couldn't do too much to me Meiko hasn't already. You saw the voting."

Neru laughed, which made Len smile. She visibly relaxed, and Len knew he had drawn out the Dere side. Tilting her head towards him, she smiled brightly. "I think I could do worse if I tried, but I kinda don't feel like it right now."

Len laughed. "That's certainly good. Meiko and Rin are gonna want to beat me up when I get back, so the less, the better." Neru giggled, a sound that lifted Len's heart. And without missing a beat, she waved him over. "I want you to see something."

Len had to admit he was surprised. Neru rarely ever shared anything. For her to voluntarily allow him proximity was one thing, to want to show him something was another. So, trying not to let his excitement get the best of him, he walked over and sat next to her on the ledge. He noticed a light blush on her face, but put it down as embarrassment about showing someone something.

She motioned for the window to come back up and it revealed to be a Word document. In stylish letters, was a beautiful poem;

I see people laughing and joking all around,

but on my face there is no smile instead there is a frown.

I never laugh anymore instead I cry,

and I never stop to ask myself, "why?"

I heard we live and die by the choices we make,

and there's only so much a person can take.

When Len finished reading it, he turned silently to Neru. She was hanging her head, face turned away from him. She was trying to hold back her tears, though Len could see them forming. Unsuredly, he put his arms around her, fully expecting to be smacked full-force.

Instead, she buried her face in his chest and fought back the tears. She gripped his shirt tightly, and Len could do nothing but hold her tight. Slowly, she gained her speech back.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone, okay?" she asked, eyeing him expectantly. Len nodded and put a hand on his heart. "I promise. But you have to promise me something in return."

Neru scowled. Len waved his hands frantically. "I just want you to write happier things, and maybe share them once in awhile. That's all." Neru calmed a little, then sighed sarcastically.

"I suppose so. It's only fair." She turned to him with a smile. "Thanks Len. You're not too bad, shota." She leaned over and hugged him before leaving. Looking over she added; "Better hurry back. Bet they're missing their punching bag." Len laughed and followed her, smiling the whole way.

I sat on the couch pondering the possible permutations of holography when Len and Neru materialized. I nodded to Len understandingly, and he smiled a brief smile before going over to his sister, who was looking out the window. She had an entranced look on her face, dreamily observing the streets of people.

I turned to see what the other Vocaloids were doing. It was rather like watching children, as they had no idea what the world was like. Meiko was looking around boredly, as if deciding none of this was worth her time, before going into the bedroom. Kaito was gazing at some of the art on the wall, showing a Pokemon battle.

"What are these?" Kaito asked, tilting his head slightly. I walked beside him and pointed to parts of the picture as I explained.

"My sister drew this picture when we were younger. I was a bit of a Pokemon fanatic, and so she used to draw some of the battles I did. This one shows an Volcarona, this fiery bug here, facing a Bisharp, this armored thing."

Kaito looked closely at the artwork. "She's very good at drawing. The shading's fantastic and not a line seems out of place. The sense of life is fantastic!" Kaito looked over every detail, and I could almost see the gears turning in his head. He pointed to a few places, "this is slightly off balance with the center, and could probably be moved to here. This seems a little empty, and maybe a bit more of this shadow could stretch into it..."

I laughed slightly. It seemed Kaito had found something that interested him. "My sister's gotten way better than that. She drew that when she was 14. It's been about 8 years since then and she's taken lots of art classes. I'm sure you two would have a great time discussing art." Kaito nodded absently, still entranced by the art. Still chuckling, I left him to his puzzling.

I noted Rin was still by the window, though Len and Neru were not there. I couldn't see Neru offhandedly, but Len was "sitting" on the couch. I noticed Rin looked slightly down, so I went over beside her and leaned against the window sill.

"Everything alright Rin?" I asked, causing her to jump. Obviously she had been too wrapped up in her thoughts to notice me. She nervously started trying to sputter an explanation, before I motioned for her to stop. She hung her head in embarrassment.

"I was just thinking about what it's like down there. But when I tried to reach out to wave to someone..." she stuck her arm out of the window. When she hadn't reached very far out, her arm simply ended, as the projectors could not aim there. I hurriedly made a motion for her to pull her arm back, lest someone see it. Being on the second floor, it wouldn't be hard for someone to notice.

"Sorry Rin, but you are just a projection." Upon seeing her face fall, I quickly added; "I'll see what I can do about adding a projector so you can look out the window all you want, okay?" RIn smiled her thanks and wrapped me in what would probably have been a tight hug. Her beaming face assured me I had stabilized the situation. Years of sisters had taught me to understand how to solve a problem.

On a roll, I decided to investigate what Len was doing, and also to inform him his sister was feeling better. I noticed him glaring at the handle to the closet. "Something wrong?"

"I can't open this door" he replied plainly. "What do you have in there any way?" I shrugged. "Bit of this and that. Mostly stuff that I didn't keep anywhere else." Opening the door, I smiled as some of my old stuff came to my eyes. There were board games like Risk, and a some of my possessions from back when I lived with my parents.

Len started looking around at the stuff, a mildly bored expression until his eyes fell on one particular object. A Fender's DG-11 BLK. I felt a small pang of guilt upon seeing it, as I had put it in there a long time ago, never having taken it out. It had been a gift from my step-dad, who had been big into rock music and wanted me to learn the guitar. I honestly enjoyed playing, but I never really put aside time to learn it.

"Is that yours?" Len asked, pointing to said guitar. I had been hoping he wouldn't notice, but something that nice attracts eyes. Putting on a normal expression, I nodded. Len's eyes shown slightly and I could see his excitement grow in proportion to my discomfort. "Can you play?"

Nervously, I put one hand behind my head with an embarrassed expression. "Actually, I haven't touched the thing in years, and even when I played, I knew only 2 chords." Len laughed, and I felt my embarrassment growing. I was about to turn and leave Len to his searching, when he asked another question.

"Why did you set it down?" The innocent question brought a pang of memory to me. I had gotten it in high school, at exactly the wrong time. My step-dad and I had a bit of a disagreement, mostly about the way that I should live.

I was well-known in my house to refuse to go on vacations if it meant missing school, and I felt more comfortable at school than at home. He thought I should try and relax a little, but I kept telling him school was too important to not pursue with the fullest. He was known to have a bit of a temper when people disagreed with him, and I witnessed it that day. But instead of backing down like I normally did, I fought back, telling him just how I felt about his rule, and it broke something.

We hadn't talked much after that day.

I graduated with a Chancellor's, got a Major and two minors in Undergraduate, becoming a Phd in Biology. But parts of my life remained incomplete. I never really had many friends, and no romantic interests. My memories were filled with hours of study, and not of the fun most teenagers had. Not of family vacations, nor movie nights. I spent most of my time secluded away from the world, surrounded by work.

Len must have noticed my pain because he dropped the subject and attempted to focus on something else. Suddenly, a flash of worry crossed his face. "Where's Neru?" I looked around, trying to spot her. I noticed that neither she, nor Haku, were visible anywhere. Worrying a little about where they could have escaped to in the small area of the projectors, I ran into the kitchen, looking behind the island. They weren't there. I was about to turn back to the living room when I caught sight of them out of the corner of my eye, talking on the balcony.

I sighed with relief and opened the door slightly. "Everything alright out here?" Neru shot me a withering glance, and was about to chew my head off, when Haku calmly spoke. "Just talking a bit. Mind if we have some privacy?" I nodded understandingly and slid the door closed again. I motioned for Len not to go out there, to which he hesitantly nodded.

That solved where almost everyone was, except Meiko, who hadn't come out of the bedroom yet. I wondered what she could be doing in there for so long. Absently, I turned over all the possibilities in my head and as I reached for the slightly open door, she came rushing out. I thought she would go for Kaito, but she apparently was seeking me.

"Hey Ginormo!" she said, calling me by her preferred nickname. I was glad she was only a projection, or she probably would have dragged me into the room. Instead, she fixed me with look of interest. "You never told me you were a fighter!"

I was confused as to what she had found to make her believe that. "Why do you say that?" I questioned. She motioned for me to follow, and I did, albeit, very confused. She pointed into the closet, about midway up the wall. I felt another memory coming on.

There, hanging neatly, was a sword. It was a fencing rapier, but a sword nonetheless. Fencing was one of the few hobbies I had gotten into, though after college. I had training lessons for a while, but after a time, dropped them. That was back when my life was busy, being new into the workforce. I had more time now, but I had forgotten all about it. Gently picking it up of the hangers, I felt the comfortable weight in my hand. I lifted the sword in front of my head, giving it a few practice flicks and remembering the feeling of the blade. It was a nice feeling, and I remembered when I used to spar with my cousin, who'd later gone into heavier weapons and armor for renaissance reenactment.

"So you have a violent streak?" Meiko teased. I laughed and shrugged. "Actually, between me and my cousin, I was the really tame one. When we used to go to Renaissance fairs as children, he'd always join up with kids being bandits, while I'd be a knight. I only fought those who challenged me or picked on others." Looking down at the blade, I felt a longing for those days, when everything was nice and simple.

"Come on Ginormo, don't go sappy on me. You just won some points and you're about to lose them" she joked. I laughed and shrugged off the feeling. She eyed the weapon, as if examining it. "I certainly didn't know you fenced."

"It was only for a while. Life got too busy to continue. But I kept the blade, as maybe I'd have time in the future. That was a few years ago though." Absently, I turned the blade around a bit, remembering the edges.

"You should take it up again" Meiko offered, then added, smiling; "You should teach me a bit too. I could use another tool to scare Kaito." I laughed, knowing she simply didn't want to seem like she just wanted help learning.

"Because you totally need another way to scare Kaito" I replied sarcastically, playing along with the ploy. Meiko nodded with a laugh. We both laughed for a minute before I returned the blade back to its hangers. I made a mental note that I should schedule some lessons again. It would be a nice way to relax.

Meiko had gone back into the living room, and I was left with a moment to myself. I reflected on my past few years as I sat on the edge of my bed. What exactly had I been doing? Through the small opening of the door, I could see the E-M device that had taken so much time. For a living, I taught in high school, though that was rather fun. I enjoyed teaching, but it took a lot of time.

I had no spare time for the past few years. Only now was my schedule beginning to open up. Smiling slightly, I began remembering my time in high school and college. I had studied hard and gotten into a pretty good school. Got high grades in my classes, honors in a ton of studies.

But on the other side, I hadn't done anything fun. There had been plenty of girls that had taken an interest in me, but I hadn't returned it. I had a few friends, but we never really did anything together. We mainly just talked, if even that.

And after high school, I had lost contact with all but Lance. I still wasn't sure what made me stick with him, but I didn't care. We had worked on many projects since then, though most were failed, we didn't care. It was enough to try and advance science, as well as the fun times that from trying.

"Adam?" Miku's voice broke into my thoughts. I looked to the door, where she peered in, unsure about entering. I flashed a comforting smile to her and motioned for her to come in. Nodding thankfully, she took a seat beside me. She gave me a look of concern. "Everything alright?"

"Kinda" I shrugged. "Just been reminiscing about my life. I haven't really done anything but work since I was in high school. Most of my memories since then are of working. Most people take trips, have relationships, family vacations. I don't have that. My family is far away and I haven't talked to them in years. I'm all by myself."

Miku gently put a hand on my shoulder and smiled her gentle smile. "Now you're not though. We're here for you. So try and lighten up, alright?" I laughed. "I should be saying that stuff to you guys. I'm supposed to be the strong protector."

"Can't always be" she replied gently. "Sometimes you have to step down and take a moment for yourself." I nodded, and clasped her hand in mine. "Thanks Miku. I'll take your advice, and relax. This coming weekend I'll relax a bit, and have some fun." Miku smiled happily and "hugged" me. I swore I felt the briefest of a sensation of her arms.

Standing and smiling gently, I offered my hand to her. "Taking" it, she stood and we walked out to spend the rest of the day with the others.

I had the evening to myself, as the others went to sleep. Silently, I closed the laptop lid and whispered a goodnight. Tiptoeing, I went over to the closet. Reaching inside, I pulled out my guitar, smiling gently at it like an old friend. I slung the strap over my shoulder, and picked up the music book on the shelf behind it. It was a beginner's guide to guitar.

Taking along an old music stand I'd used when I first began practicing, I headed out to the balcony, leaving the sliding door slightly cracked open so some cold air could leak in. I set the stand up and turned to the first page, remembering the fingering. Clenching a pick between my fingers, I took a deep breath.

I began strumming the notes it specified, I felt a sense of deja vu. I remembered this section, and didn't even have to look at the sheet to play it. I guess they were right when they said that some things stick with you.

Going through the book, I found where I had left off. Smiling, I prepared to go further than I had previously. Tonight was a new step in my life...

Hurray! Progress!


	6. Chapter 6: Too Long Title

Author's Note: Welcome back to the story. Now, I'd like to inform you that this story is hereby co-authored by NA6425. This is because their insight is improving the story. Already, they have helped me figure out what to improve and what needs to happen. In the future, I will likely fix older chapters to make them better. Having a co-author will likely increase the rate at which chapters are released as well. Without further ado, here's the chapter.

Co-authors note: hello everybody my name is NA6425. I'm very excited to be a part of this story, it's my first time working on a posted piece. I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 6: A Small Step for Man, A Giant Leap for Vocaloid

It was a few weeks later, filled with hiding the Vocaloids from Lance and passing the time with them when he left. I'd spent time with each of the Vocaloids, getting to learn more about them, and the more I hung out with them, the closer they seemed to me. I'd practiced the guitar every day, and was rapidly advancing in skill. Sadly, we had barely made any progress on the E-M device, and we seemed to be getting nowhere. Even with Miku working on it from behind the scenes, giving me some new perspective, we've made no headway.

I was sitting on the balcony, practicing guitar, when I heard Lance come into the house. None of the Vocaloids were present, so I was in luck. I pulled the strap over my head and carried the guitar to the closet as Lance set up his computer. "I didn't know you started playing again."

I smiled. "Ya, a friend of mine convinced me to pick it back up." It wasn't a lie, but not everything was present in the statement. Smiling, I gently set the guitar in its stand, sliding the music sheets into their proper place. I grabbed my laptop, and set it up across the table from Lance's. I had taught the Vocaloids by this point to avoid the connection between our computers. I slipped the connection cord into the port and opened up some files.

It was filled with all the technobabble that high-school students hated in their science classes, but to me, it was like a second language. I tried to find the connection amidst the wall of text, but nothing seemed to present itself.

We just couldn't figure out how to transfer data into the shape we wanted. Transferring data into a physical format was just too complex. So we had tried every possible alternative and every strange idea, but nothing worked. We seemed to get closer, as that's how trial and error works, but still it was complex. And today was just another attempt to break the code.

"How about frequency shifts?" Lance proposed. I shook my head. "Doesn't give us a frequency to work with. That's what we need." I sighed and stood up to get myself a drink. Reaching into the fridge, I withdrew a soda. Looking over my shoulder, I could see my laptop screen. Miku had snuck on, trying to figure out something from the wall of text. She was carefully watching to see if Lance would move to somewhere he could see her, but he was sitting still. I smiled at her hard work, as Miku had been keeping me going on this project. She was so enthusiastic to see it finished that she could hardly relax.

"Want something to drink?" I called to Lance, thinking up ways to keep him in his seat. If he didn't have to get up, then Miku could work longer. He nodded, requesting a root beer. I grabbed one, and carried the drinks over.

Setting his beside his computer, I leaned back in the armchair. I sighed, as it seemed impossible to make any progress on this. Instead, I decided to relax a bit, catch up with Lance. "How's everything been?"

"Pretty good, been hanging out with Lisa. She's happy she gets to see more of me, but I think she's concerned we're giving up after all the hard work we've done. She keeps trying to help me, bless her heart, but I just think we've gone as far as we can go in this day and age. Maybe sometime in the future they'll have the stuff they need to find the missing link" he said grimly, shutting his laptop.

"I think maybe we should take a break. I'm sure we'll get it eventually, we just need to give our brains the rest they need. Okay?" Lance nodded, getting up and moving to the couch.

"Well, I didn't come over here to leave straight away. Let's click on the T.V. or something. Numb our minds a bit. Maybe we'll stumble on an idea..." The last part seemed to be a hopeful wish, albeit, a half-heartedly believed one. Lance turned the T.V. on and boredly flipped through channels before settling on going to Netflix. He pulled up some of our favorite cartoons and began to relax.

Meanwhile, I pulled out some stacks of paper from my work bag and set them up on the island. Whipping out a pen, I began grading my student's work. I set my laptop beside me, playing some music. Focusing intently on grading these papers, I hardly noticed Lance talking.

"Hey!" he finally shouted, snapping me out of my trance. He smiled; "Whatcha working on?"

"I'm a high-school biology teacher remember? I have work to grade" I stated, turning back to the work. He sighed, pushing himself up from where he sat and pulling up a seat across from me.

"Let me help so you can relax" he offered. I handed him the answer key and a few stacks. He spun the pen about in his hand before setting to work.

We had been working diligently for about a half hour when he spoke again. "What is this anyway?" I looked at him blankly, not understanding what he meant. "What were they working on?"

"Oh!" I suddenly realized what he meant. "The students had to write a paper on a scientific group." Peering at the paper, I realized which it was talking about. "This paper's about the LIGO project."

"LIGO?" he asked quizzically. "Never heard of it. From the sound of these papers, it sounds like my kind of project, full of cool new tech and awesome science."

I laughed, as I could totally see Lance working on this project. "It's this huge project designed to find the explosion of the Big Bang through gravitational waves."

"How are they doing that?" Lance asked, his interest piqued.

"They use an interferometer to measure the gravitational waves of objects in space and forces. Using it, they can accurately map those kind of things through waves." Lance nodded, and was about to respond, when suddenly...

"Adam!" came Miku's voice from the screen. There, in plain sight of Lance, she was waving her arms frantically. She hopped into the interface for the projectors, quickly materializing in my face with a determined expression. I panicked, as Miku had just exposed herself!

"Miku! What are you doing outside the computer?! You shouldn't be here right now!" I looked over to Lance, who was sitting there, transfixed, his jaw hanging open, but I didn't have time to think about it because Miku was waving her arms erratically, trying to emphasize her next words.

"That's not important! The thing I'm here about is the fact you just stumbled on your answer!" She probably would have grabbed my shoulders and shook me, had she been able to.

"Wait, how?!" I asked. She smiled excitedly. "LIGO."

I gave her a quizzical expression and she continued. "The technology used by LIGO to measure objects in space could be used to measure the shapes we need to input into the machine. All we'd need is the interferometer!"

A look of realization dawned on my face. If we could build an interferometer, we could scan objects to figure out their gravitational displacement, which was registered into a wavelength. By figuring out the pattern, we could manufacture any wavelength, and therefore, anything, we wanted. And then it would just be a matter of figuring out how to send these waves into the dark matter, which Lance and I had already figured some ideas on.

"Miku, you're a genius!" I got up and threw my arms around her intangible form. She smiled, phasing through my arms. "You're welcome" she replied haughtily.

I whipped about to Lance, who was still stunned by Miku's sudden and unexplained appearance. "Lance? Hello in there?" He immediately found his voice again.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! What the hell is going on?!" I then realized that he had no idea where Miku came from, and I had forgotten all about telling him in my excitement.

"Oh, right, that" I said awkwardly. He continued to stare at Miku like she was a ghost, which was a fairly accurate comparison. "Umm, to be honest, I'm not sure HOW they showed up. I used our projectors though to make them able to manifest."

"They?" Lance asked, looking for more people. Right on cue, Meiko appeared, "leaning" on his shoulder. "Right beside you."

Lance jumped backwards, passing right through Rin and Len. Freaking out more, he dove behind the couch, peering over the top. By now, the others had assembled. I gave Lance an apologetic smile, then gave Meiko a reprimantive look, to which she just smiled and shrugged.

"They won't hurt you. In fact, they kinda can't..." Lance cautiously stepped out from behind the couch, eyeing the Vocaloids suspiciously. They all smiled warmly at him, save Neru, who was acting like she couldn't be less interested. Even Haku managed a small smile.

Lance sighed, letting out the breath he'd been holding. I explained to Lance the strange circumstances of their arrival. By this point everyone was seated in the living room, and Lance was in a questioning mood. "So you don't know how they got here?"

"Actually, I have a little information on that. They showed up after I ran a full systems check, though the exact how, I'm not sure."

"How long have they been here?" he eyed me suspiciously. "About three weeks" I admitted.

Lance sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked, irritation creeping into his voice. I stood my ground. "I was worried what would happen to them. I know you're my friend, but even friends can accidentally let something slip. I'm sorry, but I didn't want to risk it."

Lance sighed again. "It's alright, I understand. Just try and tell me next time if something crazy happens." I smiled. Lance was a good friend to me, and so he was more willing than most to accept something like this.

"So, do you think you could build the interferometer?" I asked. With a smile, he motioned to the E-M device. "If I can build that monstrosity, then I can easily build the interferometer."

* * *

A fist slammed the table. A dim light came from the computer screen, coating the person attending it in the pale light. Their head hung low, obscuring their features. "I was hoping they wouldn't figure it out. There's nothing I could do to stop this one, but, now I know their weak point."

An evil grin spread over the face. "I know just how I'll make 'em pay. They'll never see it coming."

* * *

End of chapter! Stay tuned for more!

NA6425: thank you all for reading! Leave a review if you liked it or even if you didn't, feedback still helps. And remember to follow this story if you wanna see more!


	7. Chapter 7: Retroactive Future

Author's Note: Wow, this story has gotten so much easier thanks to my wonderful co-author NA6425! Seriously, he has done so much for the progress of this story it's not even funny. When I say co-author, I mean it. From this point on, they are basically helping me write the story, as well as being my wonderfully dedicated Beta! A shout-out goes to my dear kirei no tamashii, whom inspired me every day. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

NA6425: Welcome back everybody, please enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 7: Retroactive Future

I had gotten used to smiling every morning as the sun poured through my window. Hopping out of bed, I grabbed the clothes I had set aside the previous day. Smiling, I noticed to be an effect of the Vocaloids' presence. Before they had come, I usually fished through my drawers for whatever came to hand, but the females had taken offense to my severe lack of style and demanded that I improve it. They had made the executive decision to enforce a "dress code". And despite the fact Meiko couldn't actually harm me, she had been pretty terrifying in her displays, so I decided it would be better just to follow their word.

Today they had chosen a gray t-shirt thats sleeves ended about mid arm to match the gray jeans. Miku had said it looked drab, but the others just thought gray was my color, so they overruled her. After seeing how it looked, even Miku agreed that it did look nice. I was more interested in the fact that it was comfortable and allowed a decent amount of air-flow.

Opening the door to the living room, I was greeted by a happy sight. Everyone was gathered around, smiling and happy. Lance had quickly been accepted into the family, and now the Vocaloids were comfortable with him around. Meiko even had a nickname for him, "Technogeek" after his skill with machines. She still referred to me as "Ginormo" despite being almost as tall as me.

Right now, Lance was eating a bowl of cereal while sitting at the island, Meiko sitting across from him, smiling brightly at some joke, while Kaito leaned against a nearby wall, seemingly engaging his muse as he drew figures in the air. On the couch, unnoticed by many, Len and Neru were watching the morning news. And while Len didn't notice, I observed that she was leaning against him, and a gentle smile caressed her face. It was a nice change to see her happy.

Meanwhile, Haku was out on the porch, singing a gentle tune into the morning breeze by the looks of it. Realizing I hadn't approached her much, so I decided to say hi. Gently sliding the screen door open so I could pass, I heard her voice. It wasn't as high as Miku's, but it was deeper and soulful.

"Yami kumo ni sagashi teru. Tsukanda mono sura te banashite. Mimi o kiri saku kaze ni. Kogoeru karada wa setsunai dake..."

"Can't I Even Dream?" I pointed out the title. Haku jumped slightly, obviously oblivious to my presence until that point. She nervously gripped her arm with the other and looked to the floor. Taking a seat at the table that I kept out there so I could watch the beautiful summer sunsets, I motioned for her to sit. "Don't worry. I thought you sang beautifully."

Haku blushed, and looked around nervously. She took a seat across from me, though fidgeted like she expected me to bite her head off. "You can relax. I don't bite, don't worry." Smiling slightly, she lightened up a little. She leaned back in her chair.

"Sorry, just not used to compliments" she admitted. I nodded, understanding why. Haku was not an "official" Vocaloid, and even worse, was based on the idea of users who failed to use the Miku program correctly. She had a reputation as a Vocaloid made to fail, despite the fact she could do so much more. Even after Crypton recognized her as an official, the taint of her titles followed her. Success was a distant, unreachable hope for Haku.

"It's not exactly the most fair stigma that's ever been placed on a person. Just because a handful of producers have absolutely no idea what they're doing doesn't mean the singer is to blame." Haku nodded her head in agreement. I knew she wasn't one to use many words, so I expected this kind of silent speech. But even with her lack of words, I could sense that she was becoming more comfortable.

"What are you doing out here anyway? The others are inside" she asked. I shrugged.

"Figured you could talk to someone. We haven't really talked much despite your living here with everyone. Thought I might get to know you." Haku smiled gently, showing her appreciation. "So what are you interested in Haku? All the others seem to have found something to keep them entertained in the monotonous boredom that is my home." I joked.

Haku laughed, then began pondering. "Don't really have any that I can think of. Just like singing" she shrugged.

"But don't all of you?" I pointed out. They were singing robots.

"Yes, but I really love singing. I'm not sure how the others feel, but to me, it's all there is. It brings me happiness." I saw that little extra spark in her eye that told me she was telling the deepest truth to her, and that she really did love music. I had no idea just how much it meant to her.

Smiling gently, I looked at her. "Hey, Haku" I said, making sure I had her attention. She grunted her acknowledgement. "I'll figure out a way to make you a great singer. I promise."

She smiled gently, a look of happiness crossed the normally depressed Vocaloid's face. Standing up, she went to the door, turning briefly. "Thanks Adam. It's been nice talking." With that, she went inside and I was left to enjoy the cool morning air.

I gently listened to the sound of the morning birds and the passing cars. I looked over the roads surrounding the apartment complex, realizing how little I interacted with everyone else. I had never thought of this place as anything other than where my apartment was. But now I saw it as a world I hoped that the Vocaloids could experience. A world full of dreams to make real.

In my reverie, I didn't notice Miku slip out onto the porch, and sat in a chair closer to mine. She stared off into the same direction as me, trying to see what I was so interested in. Finally, her melodic voice broke through my thoughts.

"Whatcha thinking about Adam?" she asked, a trace of concern in her voice.

Without turning my head, I smiled gently. "Just thinking about the world out there."

* * *

"Look at those two" Kaito smiled. His gaze was settled on Miku and Adam, who were sitting out on the balcony together. His gentle smile was only matched by Meiko's grimace. "What's the matter Meiko? Afraid of losing the bet?" Kaito teased.

Meiko lunged at him, fire in her eyes. Kaito ducked and stepped to the side, avoiding her grab at him. Smiling broadly, he jumped over the couch, despite knowing he could well have phased through it. Hell, Meiko couldn't even touch him, but this was far more dramatic. He couldn't help but enjoy it.

Lance was trying to interpose himself between Kaito and Meiko, unsuccessfully trying keeping her from advancing. Meanwhile, Len and Neru had slid over to the far side of the couch, not wanting to be caught up in the effects of the fight. Len had his arms around Neru protectively.

Finally, Mieko looked to calm, and her form disintegrated away with a flicker, while she hopped out of the input matrix on the computer screen. She flashed a demonic smile at Kaito. "I may not be able to get you out there, but in here..."

Meiko opened the options tab, and hit "Import". Scrolling down to Kaito's name, she selected it. Kaito's eyes went wide as he was pulled back into the computer. Meiko grabbed his scarf, pulling him down to the taskbar. With Meiko holding the ends of his scarf high above her head, Kaito grasped at the part around his neck, trying not to be strangled.

Lance slid into the chair, quickly settling his fingers across the keyboard. He moved the mouse cursor over to Meiko and clicked her leg, dragging her into the air. Meiko let go of Kaito's scarf reluctantly, crossing her arms in a sulk. Meanwhile, Kaito was laying down, breathing deeply.

"You shouldn't do that to him" Lance reprimanded. Meiko rolled her eyes.

"I would have let go once he fainted." Lance was not amused. His face remained neutral.

"I'm not letting you go until you promise not to do it again."

"Then you'll be holding your finger down for awhile" she replied stubbornly. Lance just stared at her, matching her gaze evenly. A contest of wills began. Meiko regarded her opponent, trying to test his determination. Judging by the ease he handled the mouse, he could probably handle doing this for an hour. She probably couldn't stand an hour hanging upside down, because even if she didn't have blood per say, it still made her woozy.

Sighing, Meiko uncrossed her arms. "Fine, but only if I get a favor to call on." Lance mulled this over for a minute. Meiko impatiently glared at him. Finally, Lance shrugged. "Sure, sounds good to me." He set Meiko down gently on the taskbar, making sure not to drop her.

"You're just as bad as Ginormo about this stuff, you know?" she flashed him a devious smile. Lance laughed. "I'm not easily going to let you forget this" Meiko added.

* * *

Now it was Miku's turn to smile. "I remember that first night when you were telling me about the world. I really want to go out and see it. It sounds like a strange and wonderful place, with so much to see." I could tell even without looking at her dream-filled expression she really wanted to go and see the world.

I felt a little guilty, having kept them cooped up in my apartment, but they couldn't exactly go beyond projector range. That still didn't help the fact they were stuck in here. I began thinking of ways I could fix that when I stumbled on a fairly simple and temporary solution.

"I may have just thought of an idea. I've got to get Lance's help though. Come with me" I said as I stood up and moved to the door. I could feel Miku not far behind me.

I came in to see Kaito smiling brightly at Len and Neru, who were sitting right next to each other, while Meiko glared daggers, wait, no, swords at Kaito. Lance was sitting at the island with his laptop, while Haku looked over his shoulder, observing his work.

Lance looked up from his work, and smiled upon seeing Miku and me. "Enjoy your one on one time out there?" he teased. Restraining a blush, I waved off his comment. "That's not important right now. I had an idea."

Lance leaned back in his chair, obviously interested. "So, what is it?" I motioned to the projectors on the walls. "Could you make a way that we could bring these projectors with our computers or other such devices? If so, then we could bring the Vocaloids around and let them see the town!"

Lance stroked his chin in thought. "It could work!" He sprung up from his chair and went to the storage cabinet. Inside was a mountain of parts. He quickly began pulling out the strangest pieces I had ever seen. Half of the stuff I didn't even remember putting in there.

"So, where do we start?" I asked. Lance motioned quickly to the parts he was tossing behind him. "Grab a screwdriver and start disassembling."

I nodded, and sat cross-legged on the floor while beginning to disassemble an old light fixture. Setting the parts into organized piles, I could feel the Vocaloids watching us with a curiosity.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Miku asked. Looking over my shoulder, I could see them all nod in agreement. I thought for a moment, a smile forming across my face.

"While, as for you Miku, considering you seem to have some knowledge of this kind of mechanics, I'm sure you could help by pointing out the parts we need. But what would really be nice is some music. Perhaps you guys might sing for us?"

The Vocaloids exchanged looks, smiling brightly. This was what they were meant for, their passion. It was Meiko who spoke first. "Okay. Which song?"

Lance responded, not taking his eyes off the strange object he was disassembling. "Maybe you could sing Alice of Human Sacrifice. Always enjoyed that one." I nodded, thinking that to be a good starter, being a classic. I turned back to my work.

I heard Haku and Neru start humming the background tune, getting it started. I had just finished sorting the parts of the fixture when Meiko began singing.

"Ichibanme ARISU wa isamashiku ken o katate ni, fushigi no kuni. Ironna mono o kirisutete, makka na michi o shiite itta. Sonna ARISU wa, mori no oku. Tsumibito no you ni tojikomerarete. Mori ni dekita michi igai ni, kanojo no sei o shiru sube wa nashi."

I began to ponder what the Vocaloids would do when we finished the project. Maybe they could sing at concerts, make a lot of money. If people payed a lot for the holographic projections, how much would they make off flesh embodiments.

Another thought crossed my mind. We only had a few here, but there were a ton of Vocaloids out there. We didn't have Luka, Gakupo, Gumi, Lily, and a ton of others. There was also the massive amount of Utauloids. Part of me wanted to bring them into the world, give them lives. I wasn't sure what spurred the feeling, but I knew it was like a deep itch, seated in the depths of me.

My thoughts were interrupted as Kaito began singing:

"Nibanme ARISU wa otonashiku uta o utatte, fushigi no kuni. Ironna oto o afuresasete, kurutta sekai o umidashita. Sonna ARISU wa, bara no hana. Ikareta otoko ni uchikorosarete. Makka na hana o ichirin sakase minna ni mederare karete yuku."

I gently sang along, my voice quiet enough no one could hear me, though Miku looked at me, a look of interest crossing her face. I got the distinct impression that I would be questioned by her later about it. But she didn't have time to ask now, as her part had arrived.

"Sanbanme ARISU wa osanai ko. Kirei na sugata de, fushigi no kuni. Ironna hito o madowasete, okashi na kuni o tsukuriageta. Sonna ARISU wa, kuni no joou. Ibitsu na yume ni toritsukarete. Kuchiyuku karada ni obienagara, kuni no chouten ni kunrin suru."

I smiled gently upon hearing her voice. It was gentle and relaxing. But I also found a bit of irony in the song. The Miku of the song was cruel and selfish. The Miku I had come to know was kind and gentle. I laughed gently as I realized I'd never be able to take any song with her being evil seriously. It was just so far outside her personality. Again my thoughts were interrupted by Rin and Len's opening.

"Mori no komichi o tadottari bara no ki no shita de ochakai o-shiro kara no shoutaijou wa HAATO no TORANPU. Yonbanme ARISU wa futago no ko. Koukishin kara fushigi no kuni. Ironna tobira o kugurinukete, tsuisakki yatte kita bakari. Ki no tsuyoi ane to, kashikoi ARISU ni chikatta kedo, futari no yume wa, samenai mama. fushigi no kuni o samayotta."

As the song finished, I applauded them happily, a bright smile on my face. They sounded absolutely fantastic! There was something about them being real people that made it sound so much better. Lance was also applauding, having set down the machine parts he was working on.

"I've listened to you guys several times, but you never sounded that good!" he commented, noting what I had been thinking. The Vocaloids blushed with pride, varying shades of red. Meiko was a slight tint, while Miku was a tomato color.

"Were we really that good?" Rin asked, an eager hope creeping through her face. I smiled gently.

"You guys were absolutely amazing" I said, and it was no lie. Rin squealed with joy, "hugging" me tight. A look of shock, and an emotion that almost seemed jealousy, flashed over Miku's face before Rin pulled her brother over into the hug. I laughed happily, as I felt the happiness radiating off her. Gently "pushing" them off me, I glanced over at Lance's progress.

"How is it going with the parts?" I asked as I glanced out the window. It was getting late, and almost time for Lance to go home to his girlfriend.

"Just one more piece..." he mumbled as he stuck a bulb into a slot. With a satisfying click, a bright smile spread across his face. "Done! I made two so we could both carry one on us."

The devices looked mildly like the projectors teachers used to show powerpoints and other things. But it was about the size of a mobile wireless receiver, and seemed to fit similar to one. The bulb was exposed to allow the light to shine everywhere, to let the Vocaloids manifest all around.

I looked at the tiny device with a look of mild confusion. We had disassembled so many pieces of machines for that tiny thing? As if reading my mind, Lance quickly explained. "This required some very specific parts, so that's why it took so many machines. Don't worry, I'll pick the stuff up for you."

I offered to help him clean up, but he politely turned down my offer. Shrugging, I threw myself onto the couch with a sigh. My hands hurt slightly from all the turning. Relaxing, I felt my spine settling into a natural position, rather than hunched over machine parts.

I opened my eyes to find Miku's blue ones looking down at me. She was leaning over the back of the couch. "Hello there" I said with a smirk. She smiled brightly.

"So Adam, what else haven't you told me?" she teased. I raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're referring to."

"You can sing" she replied with a grin. I tried to restrain the blush that was struggling to surface. Very few people knew about my ability to sing, most of those people not living anywhere near me.

"Oh really? I can?" I feigned ignorance. But Miku saw right through it, because her grin just broadened. She leaned closer, looking rather like the Cheshire Cat. I also noticed that the other Vocaloids were now listening in on our conversation.

"I saw you moving your lips along with the song." She stated plainly. I knew I was caught. "What of it?" I shrugged.

"I want to hear you sing" she said, a tinge of hope entering her eyes. It was a look I simply couldn't refuse. Sighing, I stood and began to stretch.

"I haven't sung in years, so bear with me if I'm rusty." I could feel myself choking up slightly from my classic anxiety, but I tried to push it down. I breathed in and out deeply. "So what do people want to hear?"

Rin was jumping up and down, saying one suggestion partway through another. Meiko was calling out all kinds of weird songs that I had NO interest in performing. Finally Kaito spoke up. "How about Purple Forest?"

I remembered that with both a mild pang of sadness and memory. It was one of the first songs I'd heard, but it had some minor pains with it. Pushing those aside, I realized it was a duet.

"I can't exactly sing two parts at the same time, nor can I sing the girl's part." Meiko's face spread into a grin as she shoved Miku up next to me. "She'll sing the girl's part."

Miku rubbed her arm nervously, a light red spreading across her cheeks. Could she be nervous? Gently, I smiled down at her. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I don't want you to if you don't want to." This only seemed to worsen her blush, but she stood firmly.

"I'll sing" she said, trying to sound resolute, though a slight quaver peeked through her voice. Lance raised his hand to beckon silence, and it became very quiet. The other Vocaloids quietly hummed the tune, setting the mood.

Looking at Miku with a small smile, I began the song...

* * *

DONE! God that took FOREVER!

NA6425: cliff hanger! What does this song mean for Adam? You'll have to wait and see. And just like before, thank you for reading. Please follow if you wanna see more, and review if you liked it (or even if you didn't) feedback is important. Till next time!


	8. Chapter 8: Out The Door

Author's Note: Hello again! This story calls to me, forcing me to write it. Continuing from last time, so note we pick up from the cliff-hanger.

Also note, my other stories are coming along slowly. I only really have time to write one at a time. This story is almost to the end of the 1st Act, and after that, I may have time to write the others. Inspiration is always welcome!

(Note: I don't know enough Japanese to include punctuation in the romaji sections. I ask you please forgive me for that)

NA6425: Please enjoy.

This is going to be a long chapter...

Chapter 8: Out The Door

"Usugurai fukai mori no oku mizu to ki to hana ha amaku kaori utsukushi i tori no koe ha mono kanashi ku tada hibiku." Though it had been years since I'd sang for real, the words came flooding back to my mind like a flood of quicksilver, flowing down into my song, re-invoking my old feelings. A small sadness crossed my heart as I remembered the memories behind it. As Miku drifted into her part, I allowed some indulgence of the memory.

"Usugurai fukai mori no oku hitorikiri utawo kanade tsuduke ru yasashii kaze no oto ha sabishi sawo iyasu sasayaki tabi no hou, kokode yasun deikimasenka? Anata notameni utawo utai mashou" Miku sang elegantly. I remembered the day I first heard the drifting tune of the song.

It was in high school, freshman year specifically. I didn't really hang with a crowd back then, so I spent a lot of time by myself. But in one of my classes, I met a girl who was an otaku. She was an energetic one, always smiling and bright. We began spending time together, and I developed a close attachment to her, and I was still sure even to this day she felt the same.. She introduced me to Vocaloid, and even after we went our separate ways, mostly because I wanted to get away from my family, I continued listening to them, because it held such great meaning. Each song was profound, and I found myself drawn into them, imagining the world behind them. Each song opened my eyes a bit more, until I began to see things I had never noticed before. Every day seemed to hold a bit more happiness, I enjoyed music more, and gained an art appreciation. The world seemed to shine brighter.

But there had been plenty of tribulations involved. Sometimes, I was tempted to leave it all behind. But by that point, they had become like a family to me, and it would have been unfair. So I decided not to stop.

My parents wondered why I didn't just listen to American music. Why'd it have to be this "strange Japanese stuff"? I tried explaining, but eventually I stopped, seeing as they could never understand me. I continued listening, albeit quietly. Behind closed doors, I just plugged in my headphones and let their songs drown out my worries.

After college, I was able to listen to it more freely. I had gotten several Vocaloid programs as gifts from Lance over the years together, and though I was no Huke or Supercell, I was a producer of music. I had gained my own little family in a way. And now that they were real, I wasn't sure how to feel. In a way, it was like a dream come true. A small tear made its way down my face as the song ended. Miku looked at me with concern.

"Is everything alright Adam?" Miku asked, a look of concern etched on her face. Smiling gently, I "wrapped" my arms around her, knowing that even though neither her nor I could feel it.

"I'm just really happy to have you guys is all." Miku smiled gently up at me, and we stared into each other's eyes. Her brilliant cerulean eyes seemed like a warm, infinite ocean that I would drown in if I stared too long, and yet, I continued. The others politely "gained interest" in some other parts of the room.

Finally, Miku phazed through my arms, smiling gently. "It's getting late" she pointed out, nervously twisting her foot in place, a light blush creeping into her face.. "You should probably rest. We kinda need the down-time too."

I nodded, yawning as I felt the time catch up to me. Stretching, I sighed as the familiar feeling of sleepiness seeped into my bones. I turned to Lance. "It's about time that you head home. Say hi to Lisa for me. Tomorrow, we'll be taking the Vocaloids out to see the town!"

Lance heartily agreed and waved goodnight to everyone, all of whom wished him a safe trip home. As he left, a silence fell over the room.

Until Rin couldn't contain herself any more.

"I can't believe it!" she cried out happily. She began jumping about, smiling broadly. "We're going outside! To see the world with our own eyes! Can you believe it?" she exclaimed excitedly. I laughed at her energetic behavior, a faint memory of my own siblings coming to mind. I quickly pushed it aside, wishing to end the evening on a happy note.

"I'll be heading off to bed" I interrupted.

"Night Ginormo" replied Meiko with a grin.

"Night Master" replied the rest.

"Oyasumi Adam" Miku said quietly, flashing a gentle smile to me, one that I returned. Waving good night, I retired to my room.

Perhaps it was my excitement, but I woke up bright and early the next morning. I even managed to beat the morning light that normally disturbed my REM patterns. Stretching with a groan, I listened to see if any of the Vocaloids were up yet, though I didn't think any would be. It certainly didn't sound like it.

Getting up, I realized that because of last night's activities, the girls hadn't prepared an outfit for me. I briefly debated just throwing on something before going against it and deciding I might try and impress them. Pulling open my carefully sorted drawers, I quickly viewed my options. Considering the weather, I'd probably wear a short-sleeve shirt. Most people would have worn shorts, but I was inclined to wear jeans.

Gently, I unfolded a light t-shirt and some dark-wash jeans. Slipping into them comfortably, I glanced at myself in the mirror. I hadn't actually bothered to look at my appearance for a while, and was surprised at just how good I looked. It wasn't vanity, as I was never a very vain person. Feeling like looking good for today, I ran a comb through my hair, smoothing it down and making it look nice. Nothing fancy, but fairly good looking.

Smiling confidently, I strode into the living room, greeted by the emptiness and silence. Strangely, a few months ago, this would have been normal, but now it felt weird not to have the Vocaloids with me. Rin should be gazing out the window, and Kaito should be admiring the geometry of the house. Meiko should have been tormenting me relentlessly and Miku...

At the thought of Miku, my heart raced a bit as I recalled last night's close encounter. Gulping down the feeling, I focused on the things I had to prepare in order for this trip to be successful. I had thought about it, and the first thing we needed was "disguises", though really, it would just be a matter of programming a different image to be projected. But it was a necessary step, as just how many people walked around with the strange style that made the Vocaloids so unique?

I quickly prepared a bowl of cereal, which I elegantly balanced on my knee. Flipping open my laptop, I saw that none of the Vocaloids were there. Munching thoughtfully, I opened the light projector program. We had made a special section where you could add your own models for projection. He had even gone so far as to make a human base analog.

Opening it, I pondered how to start. But before I could get to work, I would have to have music. It might help me decide who to design first anyway. Opening my music folder, I randomly selected a song. It ended up being "Alice in Dreamland" by Kaito. I'd start with him.

It took me a minute to get used to the controls again, but soon enough, I was in my element. I began to ponder how I should alter the Vocaloids. Rin and Len could probably stay the way they were, being the most realistic, appearance wise anyway. Kaito's blue hair would be a ridiculous shade in public. He'd get all kinds of questions on dyes and such. I gave him brown hair, though kept the style. I was sure his...unique...outfit would be gazed at, but he could probably pass it off as a new style.

Meiko didn't need any refining, as she too was realistic. I arrived at Miku and my hand paused on the mouse. I felt like I shouldn't mess with her, or at least I didn't know what to do. I decided I would get her opinion when she woke up. I moved onto Haku, instantly noting unless she wanted to be mistaken for an old lady, the gray would have to go. I changed it to a black hair, one that actually rather nicely contrasted her white skin. I had to shift her eyes in color, as red was not a normal color amongst humans. I finally decided on a light blue. It would be easier than explaining being albino.

Finally was Neru. I really only had to adjust eye color, as a pure gold was very rare. So I changed them to a very light amber and shortened her hair to a reasonable length. She'd probably scold me, but it had to be done.

"Whatcha working on?" came the sleepy voice of Rin. Looking in the corner of the screen, I saw Rin walking on, rubbing her eyes sleepily. It was kinda cute, like watching my sisters get up when I was younger.

"Just preparing your guys' disguises for today. Don't worry, I didn't change you or your brother. Just made you guys look more realistic, rather than anime-esque."I began pointing out the differences, and she giggled once or twice at some of the changes I made. After I finished explaining, she got a strange look on her face that I simply couldn't read. "What?"

"Where's Miku?" she inquired. Before I realized that I was talking, I had explained to her how I wanted Miku's opinion. Then I realized it was Rin I was talking to, and that I should expect the worst.

Rin got a broad, mischievous smile. "I see how it is" she teased. I tried (and failed) to suppress a blush, which only made her smile took in a big breath, then began shouting. "HEY EVERYONE! WAKE UP! I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!"

I made the "cut it out" motion, desperately wanting her to she just kept yelling. "ADAM LIKES-!" Suddenly a hand was clapped over her mouth. It was Len, looking rather unamused about her volume. He held fast as she clawed the back of his hand, finally letting go.

"What was that for?" she demanded.

"You were loud" he answered plainly. Rin glared at him and stuck her tongue out. I sighed gently, knowing she had already lost her train of thought. The two would argue back and forth for a bit, then Rin would get bored and demand Len entertain her. Which took the line of fire off me.

Standing up, I went over to the island where we had laid out the portable projectors. I picked one up, surprised at just how light it was. For such a revolutionary idea, one would assume that it would weigh a significant amount. But rather, it was hardly a burden, as most of the weight was casing.

Carrying it gently, I brought the projector over to my laptop and plugged it into one of the spare ports. It brought up the familiar projector input program and was already prepared to go. That was when Miku showed up.

She stretched as she walked onto the screen, smiling with her eyes closed. She waved and opened her eyes, which immediately widened. A redness crept to her face, rather prominent against her blue eyes and hair, and she made a few choked off words, as if her mouth wouldn't co-operate.. She tried to avert her gaze, her face reddening every time she looked at me. Confused, I cocked my head.

"What's the matter Miku?" I thought maybe I had something on my clothes and began searching for a stain.

"It's not that. You just look...good, like that" she said quietly. I smiled at the compliment, though I had to suppress a blush, as I was not used to getting clothing compliments.

"I tried my best to wear something nice. Thought you guys might like it" I shrugged.

"Okay, even I have to admit that looks good Ginormo" Meiko interrupted as she entered with a smirk.

"Morning Meiko! How are you?" I asked, trying to drag attention away from Miku so she could compose herself, though what made her uncomfortable in the first place, I wasn't quite sure. Meiko grinned evilly.

"Looking forward to showing the world who its queen is!" Holding herself pridefully, she gave a bright smile. Everyone laughed at her ego showing, even Kaito as he arrived. And Meiko didn't kill him for it! Obviously the good spirits of today were infectious.

"Might as well show you guys the disguises I cooked up. Some of you don't really need them, as you already look fairly like normal people. But I've had to redesign some of you to fit in better" I explained as I pointed out some of the changes.

The Vocaloids nodded as they saw their new figures, and seemed to approve, though they each made mild suggestions about how to fix them to their liking. They had finally finished making design changes when Rin remembered what she had been talking about earlier, or at least part of it.

"You said you wanted Miku's opinion on what she should look like. She's here now" Rin smirked, putting on a look of false innocence. I scratched the back of my head nervously, knowing the thoughts that must be running through their heads. Figuring the best strategy was to ignore them, I opened the Miku model up.

Miku gazed at her alternate with a sense of detachment. "Seeing myself...it's a little strange..." she trailed distantly. I opened a panel, taking care not to hit them in the head. I motioned to the various parts, explaining how to use palettes and the other programs.

"Any ideas on how you'd like to change?" I felt strange asking the question. Miku tilted her head and pondered. Her eyes swept down here long pigtails.

"I'd like to keep my hairstyle, though probably shorter, maybe shoulder length. Black maybe? I think that might be nice. What's a realistic eye color?" she turned, looking inquisitively at me.

Leaning back, I pondered on what colors were possible for black hair. Looking back, I hadn't really taken noticed these things. I smirked slightly as I realized just how much my experience with the Vocaloids was beginning to reshape my view of the world. Finally, I had catalogued all the colors I'd seen. "Really any color, light or dark. It's not like blonds with the specific pigment. Whatever you feel is good for you."

Miku smiled slightly as she spoke, "Then in that case, could you change my eyes to a reasonable blue? I like the color." She smiled hopefully, in such a way that I could not possibly hope to resist. Sighing, I smiled as I began using the sliders and palettes. Soon, I had adjusted the figure to the perfect specifications. The hair color kinda reminded me of Zatsune.

"There you go!" I beamed, turning to face her. "How do you like it?" Miku smiled and nodded, silently transmitting her thoughts. "Only one thing to do now..." I said, nervously biting my lip as I opened the input matrix for the projector.

Miku daringly climbed into the window, stepping in slowly. Turning around, she gave a bright smile to the rest, who looked on expectantly. Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out slowly, waiting to be projected.

Slowly, the program initialized, and a small flicker appeared in the air. Slowly, horizontal lines began to form a 2-D image of her. Eventually, the Z-axis began to render and she became a fully represented person.

Opening her eyes, she took in the familiar surroundings, then turned her gaze down to herself. "Does it work?" she asked nervously. I moved by the control for the mounted projectors, finger hovering over the power button.

"One way to find out" I said hesitantly. I pushed on the button, feeling the click. And yet, Miku remained. Smiling, she tried to contain her joy, but ended up jumping around excitedly, not caring about what she phased through. The other Vocaloids quickly began clambering up into the window, each wanting to get out soon. Meiko and Kaito helped Len and Rin up first, the twins materializing with energy. Len was even smiling.

Soon, everyone was materialized and roaming around the room, admiring their 3-D rendered bodies. Sitting on the couch, I watched them admiring that which I took for granted. Glancing over at the E-M device, a thought began stirring in my head. That would be the next thing. I was overcome by the intense desire to finish it so they could finally be real. It would be the day of my life.

But first I had to give them this day in the light. I had promised, and I wasn't about to renege on that. A knocking snapped me from my thoughts, and I went to the door. As I suspected, it was Lance, smiling brightly. Carrying his laptop under his arm, he motioned to the Vocaloids. "I see it worked! Are you ready?"

I stepped aside to let him in. "Sure, we're just about to go over the plans for the day."

FINALLY! OH MY GOD! BEEN STUCK HERE SO LONG!

NA6425: Thank you for reading, please review if you liked it (or even if you didn't, but flames will be used to roast marshmallows.) And also, don't forget to follow this story if you want to see more. See you all next time!

A/N: We forgot to make an announcement, but I'll let my co-author tell you that. Just look down one line.

NA6425: Also, as of the release of this chapter, we will include responses to reviews! So send them in!


	9. Chapter 9: The Town is Ours! (Part 1)

Author's Note: Hello and welcome back! We've been expecting you, and hope you enjoy the chapter! May I also note that I hate plot bunnies?

NA6425: You know, my mom eats rabbits. Think she'll eat the plot bunnies that bug you? Speaking of which... I miss Lucky... My mom ate him...

Johnclaw: From what I hear, rabbits are like stringy anyone actually knows, I'd be happy to hear!

NA6425: *sitting in the corner in despair* Lucky...

Johnclaw: Seems my co-author's having some issues. Might have forgotten to run a patcher. Wait, wrong subject!

Chapter 9: The Town is Ours!

"Calm down Rin. Don't want you breaking anything" Lance joked as he sat down. Rin paused her excited bouncing, and sat down trying to conceal her embarrassment. Lance laughed as he spoke. "Now that the house isn't under imminent risk of destruction, we can talk about the day."

We were all gathered in the living room after Lance's arrival, and everyone seemed excited. I reclined on the edge of the sofa, running over the thoughts I'd had about the day. I wasn't really sure about where we should go, but I knew a place we could meet up after all the sightseeing. Everything else was really up to the Vocaloids. It was supposed to be a day for them. I pulled an old map I had of Valens off a nearby shelf. It had been a while since I used an actual map, and the nostalgic smell of old paper wafted to my nostrils. I unrolled it on the coffee table and everyone gathered close to take a look.

"Okay, here we are" I pointed to the Summer Creek apartments, which were located not far away from the commercial zone. Looking about, I realized that not many things were marked, and not having lived in town, they didn't know what things there were here. "Oh... Nothing else is marked. Um..."

Lance decided to speak up. "Then in that case we'll just ask what people want to do. Any ideas?" he said brightly, procuring a small notepad and pen from his pocket, looking expectantly at the Vocaloids. I could tell that he was obviously hyped by this unique experience. It wasn't long before Rin spoke up, seemingly ready to burst.

"I want to see lots of people! And shopping! Ooh! And-and-" Rin began listing things faster than anyone could keep track of, though Lance nodded his head with many of the suggestions. Finally he put pen to paper.

"Mall" he answered. That basically summed up Rin's list.

"But what about my other ideas?" Rin pouted, annoyed that her list had been condensed.

Lance simply waved it off, "it was too long. Next?"

"Hmm..." Len pondered, a bored expression clear on his face, as he held sister back by her sleeve in one hand. Effectively preventing her from mauling Lance. "Book store? Or a library?" Nodding his head, he made his decision. "Book store. I can bring the books home then."

"You guys are boring!" Meiko interjected, crossing her arms. "We should hit a movie or something else that isn't lame."

"Maybe a museum? It could be really interesting." Miku suggested. Meiko facepalmed at her suggestion, as Kaito looked up in interest.

"How about an art gallery?" he supplied. Meiko looked over at Kaito with a curious look.

"Didn't know you were into art" she interrogated, "it's just nonsense, if you ask me." Kaito just smiled at her with a goofy grin.

"I'm very into art, and there is much to appreciate. You just can't see what I can" he teased. Meiko advanced towards Kaito, intent upon inflicting some torment.

I intervened. "While, it sounds like a few of you want to head to the East end of town to the cultural stuff. I wouldn't mind taking that group, unless you want to Lance." I looked for his reaction. He shrugged noncommittally. "Okay then. I'll take the cultural section, and it sounds like Rin wants to visit the commercial district. Anyone else wanna go with her?"

"Sure, why not?" Looking at the source of the voice, it was strangely Neru. "Might look at phone models while I'm there." I managed to wipe the surprised look off my face and nodded. I turned to look at the others.

"Cultural group on that end of the room" I motioned towards to sofa. "And shoppers on that end" I moved pointed at the island. With a bit of shuffling, two groups were formed. The cultural group consisted of Kaito, Miku, Haku, and me. I wasn't sure why, but the thought of spending the day with Miku made me happy. The shopping group had Rin, Len, Neru, Meiko, and Lance. Nodding in satisfaction, I motioned to the door.

Holding the door open in gentlemanly fashion, I patiently waited as the Vocaloids filed through, snagging Lance aside to talk with him. When all the Vocaloids were in the hall, I whispered an idea to him. He nodded, a smile breaking onto his face. "It's perfect" he agreed.

Making sure the projectors were securely fastened into the ports of the laptops we carried under our arms, we joined the others and headed down to the lobby. No one seemed to think anything of the Vocaloids, so it was going pretty good so far. Whipping out a cable from my back pocket, I linked our laptops. "Everyone who's with Lance, hop on over" I said quietly, making sure no one around us could hear. Their figures briefly blurred as the program initialized on Lance's computer. Nobody seemed to notice, thank God. "Okay then. You know the plan?" Lance nodded, giving a reassuring thumbs up. I nodded to him, waving my group to walk with me. Smiling back at Lance, I gave him a mock salute, which was humorously returned.

Lance wasn't sure how to feel about this experience. He began evaluating the position he was in. Walking to the commercial center, flanked on either side by projected characters, each created by some unknown factor, and even stranger it seemed as if...

"You're falling behind!" Rin yelled over her shoulder as she skipped up ahead, unintentionally breaking his train of thought. Lance shook his head and picked up his pace. He cupped his hand around his mouth to make himself louder.

"We have to make a turn to the right here!" he yelled. Rin cringed slightly, and stopped at the corner. She gave Lance an annoyed look.

"You don't have to be so loud" she said calmly. Her voice seemed too loud for her lip motions and the distance. Lance didn't see how it would work. Rin giggled and smiled happily. "I'm down here smart one" came her voice, emanating from the laptop. Lance looked down quickly, then back up at Rin, briefly confused. Rin just laughed harder, and finally, Lance just laughed along with it. Len just smiled and rolled his eyes as he beckoned the others to hurry. Lance was still laughing as he caught up with the twins. Neru trailed behind slightly, seemingly bored out of her mind, while Meiko was strolling by Lance's side, not in any particular rush either.

The sound of the metropolitan center could be heard joining in the cacophony that was the crowd already about Lance. The road curved down slightly, allowing a view of the sprawling malls and other such shops. To Lance, it was just another section of concrete and metal expanse with posters blasting their products. But to new eyes...

"OH MY GOD!" Rin was jumping with excitement, eyes sparkling and not bothering to contain her volume. Lance cringed slightly, as did everyone around her, sending glares at her, though they did little to lessen her mood.

"Rin, maybe you should calm-" Len started, but was interrupted by Neru.

"Let's get going! No point in waiting around, right?" she spun around, showing a rare smile to the others. "Better hurry! Or we'll leave you behind!" And with that, Neru motioned for Rin to follow, and began to pick up her pace. Rin didn't need to be asked twice and soon caught up to, and outpaced, Neru.

"Hey wait up!" Lance shouted. He couldn't let them go too far, or they'd phase out of existence, right in front of a mass of people. He knew he'd regret it, but Lance picked up his pace, trying to ignore the fact he hadn't been out running in a long time, and it was definitely was downhill though, so he wasn't doing that much work. Meiko and Len easily managed to remain by his side, the former smirking at Lance's expression.

Thankfully, the crowds weren't bad enough to block out the projector, and even more so, Rin and Neru hadn't run through anyone on accident. It wasn't too far to the mall, but it seemed almost as if Rin and Neru were going to run right past it. He pressed on harder, hoping to catch up. Slowly, they began slowing down and Lance was able to pull up beside them, huffing from exhaustion.

"You...don't...even...know...where...the mall... is..." he wheezed. Rin giggled and Lance gave her a quizzical look.

"What does it matter if we know? This is our first time out! We're just having fun!" To emphasize her point, she threw her arms wide and spun around, beaming brightly. She really seemed to be enjoying herself. Lance chuckled, despite the pain in his sides. He collapsed on a nearby bench, and leaned back to catch his breath.

"Forgot you have to breath" Meiko teased. Lance gave her a glare, only to have it slip partway through and a grin replace it.

"Forgot you were a computer program who is bound to my laptop" he sniped back with a smile. Meiko smirked, "leaning" with one arm against the bench.

"Is that a threat?" she teased, leaning over him with an intimidating look.

Lance didn't skip a beat with his reply, turning to better see Meiko. "Nope. Just a friendly reminder." Lance winced slightly at the awkward position he had contorted to. Meiko cringed slightly, reaching out cautiously.

"You okay?" she asked, letting her facade slip through. Lance waved away her concern, massaging his side.

"It's fine, don't worry." Twisting gently, he felt the muscles loosen, and he let out a sigh. "I think it's subsided..."

Meiko was about to reply, when Rin leaned down beside Lance and gave him puppy dog eyes. "We need to get to the mall. You can't stop here" she begged. Lance could feel his resolve to sit begin to wear away and he sighed deeply as he stood.

"Fine, but once we get to the mall, I'm finding a nice bench and sitting down. Got that?" he said, trying to summon all his seriousness. Rin smiled and nodded, "hugging" him happily. She really was a handful, but she still made Lance smile. Meiko shrugged her apology, though Lance just smiled. He took the lead this time, heading towards the mall, the others following him. When they reached the concrete walls, which sent a shadow over the nearby buildings, the Vocaloids looked up in amazement. They had never seen a building so large. Rin looked as though she were about to explode, so Lance thought he might as well get her inside. They approached the large building, only to be absolutely blown past by Rin. Lance started to smile, only to realize something.

"Rin, wait!" Lance yelled, not bothering to keep quiet. Rin quickly stopped just before phasing through the doors, looking back with confusion. Lance ran up to her, making sure people had looked away after his outburst. He fixed her with a serious look.

"The doors" he pointed out. Rin took a second to make the connection, then sheepishly looked down at the ground, twisting her foot nervously in place. Lance sighed, knowing he was being a little harsh. He softened his expression and motioned for Rin to look at him.

"We'll have to set some ground rules once we get inside. For now, just follow me. Alright?" Lance stated sternly. Rin nodded, along with the others. Lance wanted to chuckle, as it was strange to be in a position of power for him, but he had to keep his composure. He walked up to the doors, making sure they were the only ones close by. Stepping onto the pressure sensor, he motioned for them to hurry through. They sped through dutifully, and Lance walked through after the trailing Neru.

Once they entered into the vaulted atrium, Lance scanned the area for a remote table. The path went down a little bit to an intersection, with a pair of escalators circling an elevator to the food court above. Light flooded in through the skylights, illuminating the white that could be seen through the crowds. Lance spied a rather quiet table situated behind the elevator. They would have to navigate the crowd, but he hoped they'd react by swerving out of the way.

"Let's hope this works" he prayed under his breath. He began leading the group through the crowd, making sure everyone stayed close so that the projector wouldn't be disrupted. At one point, he stepped in front of Rin to prevent her from walking into a cart. Lance shot a glance that said "pay more attention" to Rin, who visibly shrunk away from his withering gaze. Lance just sighed and motioned for her to follow. Soon, they were at the chairs, and Lance collapsed into one, extremely tired. He hung his head over the arm, balancing his laptop beside him.

"Is everything alright Lance?" Rin dared to ask. Lance rolled his head so he could see her. He wearily smiled, sighing.

"I haven't been out much lately. A little tired from the exercise you put me through and stress. I kinda just want to relax, but if you guys want to walk around, I'd be more than willing..."

"No!" Rin shouted, then quickly added, "We have all day. We can rest here for a little bit." Her smile said she was willing, but would rather walk and have fun. Lance chewed his lip in thought, then sat up. He flipped open his laptop lid and opened up the projector commands. Looking into the nearby shops, he squinted for a better view.

"What do we have? Looks like a bookshop, a rock shop, music store, and a clothes store. I can see a few mirrors in the clothing store, and the rock and music stores should have plenty of reflective surfaces..." Lance trailed off as he inputted commands rapidly, adjusting the projector a few times. A bar appeared, and rapidly filled. Lance gave a smile, then turned to explain. "Okay, so I increased the power a little to make it so that it could use reflective surfaces to further the projections. You have to be careful though, as it will be weaker, so if someone blocks you even in the slightest bit, it'll be a bigger effect. Only go into the stores with reflective surfaces that can be seen from here." With that, Lance plugged in his laptop and leaned back, closing his eyes and breathing softly, a smile across his features.

Meiko laughed. "Finally! We get to have some fun!" she smiled brightly as she began to stroll into the clothes store. She inspecting some of the dresses, an obvious excitement blatant on her face. Rin was close behind, though her tasted drifted more towards skirts. Len sighed and meandered over to music store, though he glanced over occasionally to make sure his sister hadn't already caused some sort of trouble. She had an uncanny tendency to create chaos.

He was glancing over for the seventh time when he was interrupted by a voice. "She'll be fine you know." Len turned to see Neru nonchalantly surveying some of the music. "God it's all so tasteless" she stated, changing the subject as quickly as she had brought it up. Though a small smirk crossed her features.

Despite himself, Len couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure?" He was gravely worried about what might happen if Rin messed up. He was sure they could lie their way out, but he didn't want to resort to that. Even worse though, he worried Adam would forbid her to go outside because of it, and as he watched his sister, jumping around with a happy expression, he knew how much she enjoyed being out here. A small smile pierced his concern.

"So you can smile" Neru teased, poking Len playfully. Len shrugged and turned his back, resuming his concern, to which Neru sighed. "Jeez, no need to be so prickly. First time out and you can't enjoy it. Not my fault you have a stick up your ass."

Len whipped about, very close to biting her head off, but resorted to biting his lip. "What do you mean?" he forced out. Neru cracked a smile. He had taken the bait. She "leaned" against a rack of disks.*

"Just that you can't seem to have fun. All the time you're serious" Neru stated as she advanced, backing Len against a rack of disks. She was uncomfortably close. She leaned in close, almost flush with Len. "You need to relax, loosen up once in awhile." Suddenly she jumped back, and Len let out a sigh of relief. "Okay?" she said with a teasing smile.

Len felt a little bit of sweat on his brow, and discreetly wiped it off. "S-sure..." he replied, a small shake in his voice. Neru smiled brightly and turned to look at the disc racks.

"Why don't we look at some of this stuff over here?" she offered. Len just nodded his head and followed, not wishing to undergo another experience like a few moments before. Neru began scanning the titles, making an occasional sound of interest, and Len stood beside her, checking out the guitar section.

Neru leaned over while Len wasn't paying attention and read some of the cases he glanced at. Finally, she spoke, surprising him with how close she was. "Whatcha lookin at? Guitar music?"

Len tried to calm himself, trying to speak evenly. "Yeah. It looks pretty good." Len punched himself mentally for sounding so plain and boring. He sounded like a complete idiot.

"Do you know how to play it?" Neru asked, seemingly unperturbed by his flat response. She seemed genuinely interested, facing fully towards him, paying rapt attention. Len felt himself loosen up at her ease. It was much easier to talk to an interested person.

"A little, I think. Haven't actually had the chance to play. Listened to a little bit while hanging out around the house, and it doesn't seem to hard. And here it caught my eye, so I figured I'd look at some of the titles." Neru nodded, seeming to ponder his words. Suddenly she tossed her side ponytail over her shoulder with a playful smirk, leaning close, once again making Len a little uncomfortable.

"Maybe when we get back we can see if Adam and Lance can arrange a program to let you play guitar. I'd love to hear" she teased with a smirk. Len felt heat under his collar, Neru's proximity making him increasingly uncomfortable.

"Len~" came the whining voice of his twin. As quick as she had leaned over, Neru was browsing the titles again, as if nothing had happened. Len let out the breath he'd been unconsciously holding. Turning he could see his sister...

...talking to someone he didn't know. Instantly, his protective brother nature kicked in and he walked out to where she was sitting. Lance had recovered and was sitting with them, smiling brightly. Meiko sat on the arm of the chair, leaning against the back. He spied a spare seat and quickly filled it.

"So is this the brother you spoke of?" the young man asked. He smiled charmingly, his brown eyes smiling along. His posture seemed calm and relaxed, meaning that the others hadn't given him too much trouble.

"Yes! This is my grumpy brother Len" Rin teased, prodding her brother. Len gently pushed away her finger, focusing on the unexpected man. He swept his eyes up and down, taking in every aspect. The boy appeared to be about 17-ish, and by the wear of his clothes, fairly active. They weren't particularly fancy, but certainly weren't shabby.

"And you are?" he asked with a strained civility. He didn't know anything about this man and wasn't going to calm down until he knew he wasn't a threat.

"Jon's the name. Pleased to meet you Len. Your enthusiastic sister has told me quite a bit about you, especially your "tendency towards grumpiness"." Jon smiled, obviously trying to appease Len.

"She exaggerates. I'm only grumpy when something's wrong" Len replied, trying to insinuate the message of "I certainly hope you don't count". Jon nodded, though his eyes said he understood.

"Saw you were just in the music store. I assume you're big into music? Seems like everyone else here is" he said gesturing to the others. Len had to restrain his laughter, for if he knew the truth, it'd make a lot more sense why. "Not to say I don't like music. In fact, I love it. Mostly listen to older music, or at least, semi-older. Most of what people consider old now is only a few years old. What are you into?"

"Guitar I guess. I also like Japanese music" he offered cautiously. He looked to Lance briefly to make sure he wasn't blowing some cover story they had worked on. Lance nodded, and Len waited for Jon's reaction.

Jon nodded and smiled. "That's what your sister was saying. Never listened to much of it, but from what your sister says, it sounds interesting. What guitar you play?" Len felt a little nervous, as everyone else seemed to be leaving him to his own devices on this one.

"Acoustic. Works better with vocals so I don't have to strain them being loud." Jon nodded enthusiastically.

"I like to play a little louder sometimes, but I get what you're saying." Len felt a little relieved. This guy was enthusiastic, but he seemed harmless enough. He felt calm enough to lean back in his chair.

Lance smiled slightly as he could see Len was relaxing. Jon had arrived shortly after Rin had gotten bored with the clothes store. Rin had taken an immediate liking to him, which Lance was sure was what Jon was hoping for. The two had started talking (with Lance subtly guiding the conversation to avoid awkward subjects) and were getting along well. Len was even letting Jon flirt with Rin, who in turn, was blushing like a tomato.

"Hey Lance" Meiko whispered. Lance turned to face her, wondering what she could be up to. "I had an idea. Isn't there a theater nearby? Thinking we could catch a movie." Meiko smiled, waiting for his response. Lance ran over the idea in his head.

"Maybe once everyone's done here. I think there's some things we haven't done yet that people are looking forward to." Meiko nodded, understanding what he meant.

"Then we should hurry up and go do those things so we can see a movie!" she urged teasingly. Lance smiled at her impatience.

"Okay, okay, I get the point. I'll see what I can do" he assure her as he turned to the others. "Meiko says we should hurry up and finish up our trip here." Lance glanced at his watch, and noted it was getting late. They had to meet Adam at the place they had decided in a few hours. They would have to hit the stores quick, catch a movie, and then head to the destination.

"Let's head to the bookstore then. I'm sure I can order the books for later, pick them up when it's more convenient" Len offered, standing to lead the movement. Lance nodded, and picked up his laptop, subtly grabbing the projector.

Rin stood to follow, along with Jon. "You mind if I tag along?" he asked earnestly. For a moment, Len's face showed concern, but he shook it away, replacing it with an equally earnest smile of his own.

"Sure, why not. The more the merrier" Len smiled, showing his teeth. Rin looked shocked, then happy at her brother's warm response. Jon smiled back, trying to restrain his happiness as not to embarrass himself.

Lance laughed at motioned for the group to follow him as he began walking towards the bookstore.

And that's the first half! The other half will be out shortly. I was hit by a sudden burst of inspiration. Let's get this done!


	10. Chapter 9: The Town is Ours! (Part 2)

Author's Note: A double dose! I actually finished this chapter this afternoon shortly after uploading. Sorry for the long delay. I was undergoing a lot of stuff, but I'm back! And I hope to serve up the insanity!

NA6425: we would like to take this opportunity to apologize for the long wait. There will be a special announcement at the bottom author's notes, especially for fans of places known as Yamaku Academy and Shinto Teito. Please enjoy the chapter.

A/N: A dear friend (/watch dog) has reminded me I need to respond to reviews! So here goes!

ThanosofTitan: I haven't solidified pairings yet, so you are allowed input on the pairings! The only one I really have set completely is Adam/Miku, and on an only slightly less level, Len/Neru. Otherwise, I'll see what I can do!

The Super Twins: As longtime supporters, and who I originally pitched the idea to, I'm happy to report it is continued! And I'm glad you loved the character personalities! ^^

Beiowulf: First, I must say I LOVE your stories. :3 Fangirling aside, as you can see, there is more! Though what you're doing reading mine when yours are so much better is a mystery to me...

Hope to respond to more reviews!

Chapter 9: The Town is Ours! (Part 2)

"Wow, it's so big" Miku said as she leaned against the railing, admiring the skeleton before her. It's dark bones towered over her and me, casting a shadow over the us. I smiled gently.

"I believe it's a Carcharodontosaurus. An african dinosaur if I recall correctly" I said, tilting my head in thought. Miku looked over to me.

"You know a lot about them?" she asked, interested. I laughed slightly, as my nerd was showing.

"When I was really young, my first real interest in anything scientific was dinosaurs. I learned all about them, spending hours pouring over books with them, playing games about them, learning every intrinsic detail. Over time, I spread out my interest to other fields, but dinosaurs are what introduced me to science. I still keep up with a lot of the news" I explained, smiling at the memory of my childhood.

Miku giggled, and I cocked my head. "Just imagining you as a child. Do you have any pictures?" she inquired, smiling sweetly. I tried to remember if I had any photo albums around the house.

"I think one or two. Most of my photos from when I was a kid are in the family photo album." Miku nodded. Then she touched an awkward subject.

"What is your family like?" I cringed slightly, something Miku picked up on immediately. "Oh, I'm sorry... I-"

"It's fine" I interrupted. "Besides, I haven't seen them in years." Miku bit her lip nervously.

"Did something happen?"

"No, just me growing up. Shortly after I finished with college, I took everything from my dorm and moved. I didn't tell them I was going and so just like that, they were out of my life. I made sure to have someone tell them I was fine though, just so they didn't think I was kidnapped or anything." I chewed on my tongue a little, the mild pain driving away the memories.

"Was there a reason why?" she asked. It was an honest question.

"I wasn't happy there. None of them understood me, no matter how hard they tried. When they tried, that is. I just wanted to get as far away as possible. So I just left before they could do anything about it. Lance helped me move my stuff. Basically the only friend I keep in regular contact with any more."

"So you know other people?" Miku asked, then quickly added; "Not because I don't think you don't have friends, it's just we haven't seen them around the house."

I nodded with a smile. "It's fine. I haven't really seen any of them in a while. Been too busy with the E-M device, and then recently, taking care of you guys." I pondered it for a moment. "Maybe I should invite a couple of them over to meet you guys."

Miku bounced excitedly. "I'd love that. Meeting some of your friends would be amazing!" Miku's sincere smile brought a warmth to my heart, one that crept onto my face, giving me a slight blush. Luckily, the others came along before Miku could notice.

"Come on Adam, we've spent hours here" Kaito insisted. "We still have to go to the art museum. I'd like to see that Munch display you were mentioning." I chuckled, slightly regretting telling Kaito about that, seeing as that was all he had talked about since mentioning it.

"Fine, fine!" I replied with a chuckle. "Besides, we've seen everything here. The art museum's just down the street." I waved for them to follow me. Haku and Kaito followed up the back, and, to my pleasant surprise, Miku "grabbed" hold of my arm, standing close. A light blush crept onto my face, and I could see she had the same, and though the crowd was pretty dense, I began to suspect she had her own reasons for doing it, supported by the fact she was still holding on once we had left the museum.

The art gallery was a very short stroll from the museum, and it's glass exterior screamed modernism...or at least that's what Kaito said. I wasn't too sure about what style it was beyond what I learned in my history classes, and those barely stuck in my head.

Entering, we were immediately assaulted by a menagerie of abstract cubic...shapes, was all they could be called safely. Already, Kaito's eyes were beginning to sparkle and sweep the art. "It's so intriguing! Look at the angles! The lighting! Are you guys getting this?" he asked, turning back to us, trying to get us to see it the way he did.

"I see, it's so interesting" I explained, slowly moving towards the more classical art hall. Kaito was too busy admiring the art to notice. But before I had gone too far, I remembered Kaito had to be in sight for the projector to work. Seeing I was going to be here awhile, I sighed and plopped down onto a bench, closing my eyes tiredly.

When I opened them, I was met by Miku's aqua eyes staring down into mine. "Yes?" I asked, seeing a concern in them.

Miku fidgeted a little as I sat up, motioning for her to sit, even though it didn't really matter for her. "You don't seem too enthusiastic about this" she said quietly, so much so I almost didn't hear her.

"Art's never been my thing. I can't draw, I can only sing so-so (Miku gave me a look for that one), and beyond formulae, I can't write" I shrugged as if to emphasize my lack of care either way. Miku frowned.

"Surely there's something you like about art. Anything here?" she waved her arm in a broad stroke to emphasize the structures before us. I swept over the strange cubism, trying to recognize anything familiar. Finally, I settled on something.

"There. See that strange loop there? The one that twist halfway through? It's a mobius strip." The look of confusion told me Miku wasn't familiar with the terminology. I waved for her to follow me, walking over while explaining. "It's a shape with only one side. Start anywhere and try to get to a new side. Just follow it."

Miku focused her gaze on one spot and began to move her vision to the right. She bent over to follow it, turning her head at the twist. Sh followed the side back up to the underside, went back down, twisted again, and reached the start. She repeated the procedure, bewildered and surprised.

"How..?" she shook her head, and I let out a small chuckle.

"It twists and fuses halfway through. All the sides are part of a continuous loop" I pointed to the twist to emphasize my point. Miku nodded, her gaze intense, as if trying to cement it in her brain. She just about had it in her brain when Haku decided to speak up.

"Kaito's done" she pointed to the man, who was excitedly waving us over to head to the next display. It appeared to lead to more classical art. Something I was more comfortable with. I let out a little smile as we followed.

"How you holding up Haku?" I asked as Miku skipped ahead.

"A little bored, but so long as you guys are having fun, I'm okay" she shrugged. I frowned at her caving in.

"This excursion is for everyone. You should get some say in what you want to do as well" I insisted. Haku nervously rubbed her arm, obviously uncomfortable sharing her opinion.

"While...um...let's see" she trailed, torn between telling me and keeping it to herself. I waited silently to see how the dust cleared. Finally she sighed, and in a voice an owl would have strained to hear, she said, "photography..."

"Wanna go to a camera shop? Maybe go to the park for a few pictures?" I offered. Haku seemed surprised by my willingness to go along with her interests, and nodded with a stunned expression. "Awesome!" I smiled in direct contrast with her expression.

"You coming or what?" Kaito teased playfully, Miku giggling beside him. I smiled and stuck my tongue out at him, a gesture he returned. I laughed and followed, entering the room of faded paints, mostly of earthy tones. I briefly entertained the thought that brighter colors didn't really show up till later, before checking to see how people were, assessing for possible exposure risks. Nobody was there, a sad reflection of our society, but a lucky happenstance for our situation.

One of the first pieces I noticed was a piece of Dutch artwork, which portrayed some farmers doing their job. Extravagant art was never appealing to me, and I suppose it was because of my uninterest in fame. Still, it was a nice piece, even if it did portray the rather depressing state of the lower class back in the Renaissance.

The rest of the museum trip was fairly uneventful, spent drifting through the displays, with Kaito fangirling over famous artists or particularly well done pieces of art. By the time we were done, I had heard so many terms I, a scientist used to large and complex latin, had never heard before it made my head spin. I suppose this is how people felt when I tried to explain my field of science.

"So where now?" Kaito asked, strolling happily, head tilted toward the orange sky. "A park?"

"Sorta. We need to hit a camera store first" I said cryptically. Kaito eyed me suspiciously, while Miku just looked at me with curiosity. Neither commented as we entered into the store. On Haku's almost inaudible guidance, we purchased a decent camera and a tripod to mount it on. The park was a short walk away, and the orange light was beginning to illuminate the trees majestically, the hues filtering through the deadened branches, splaying their shadows onto the grass. Perhaps some of Kaito's art babble was sinking in, I mused.

"So, where do we set up?" I asked Haku, who was gazing around with a strangely critical gaze, one so different from her usual tired and slightly drunk gaze. Finally she pointed to a slight hill.

"There. We can face away from the sun without being too blocked by trees. Plus we can get a nice perspective" she explained. I decided to take her word for it. Climbing up the incline, I planted the tripod after Haku's careful guidance. She seemed to have lost her previous reluctance and was actually rather dominating with her commands.

"And a little bit lower and to the right" she said intently, the shot clear in her mind. "Now Kaito, Miku, I want you two to go down and sit there, and there. Relax, do as you please, just stay there. It's the third divisions" she half-explained.

Kaito went to his spot and smiled brightly at the camera, giving a thumbs up. Miku sat on the grass, legs curled beside her, a sweet and genuine smile lighting up her features, and making my heart race slightly. The click of the camera interrupted my thoughts, and I shook my head to regain focus. I took a few more pictures under Haku's guidance, snapping photos until it was too dark for adequate pictures.

"That should do" Haku said, her usual passive self returning. I nodded and packed up the camera and tripod.

"I'll get these developed as soon as I can. Possibly tomorrow" I suggested, remembering I would have to go back to work soon. I shook that thought from my head, remembering that I still had one last thing up my sleeve for tonight. In fact, it was about time we headed over.

"Hey guys. There's one last surprise for tonight" I explained with a smile, one that only broadened at their confused expressions. Saying nothing, I motioned for them to follow me...

"What are we doing here?" Meiko asked, looking up at the sign. It read, "karaoke bar".

"Actually, I can explain that" I offered, walking up from behind with a smile. Lance and his group turned and smiles broke out on their faces.

"So this is what you planned!" Miku accused playfully. I raised my hands in mock defense.

"Guilty as charged. Shall we?" I offered, holding the door open. Miku rolled her eyes but her smile was broadly apparent. Everyone was smiling, even Len. I got quite a few "pats on the back" of approval. Lance stopped as he passed.

"Looks like you hit the nail on the head" he assured, walking in and directing the group to a table. The place was moderately filled, enough for several empty tables, and full enough to have an eager crowd. Luckily, the crowd was a fairly amiable group, and were unlikely to do anything stupid. I knew quite a few of them.

"Look who it is! Finally emerging from his cave" the bartender, a personal friend of mine named Jeremy, pointed out as he walked over to the table. He swept his gaze over my company. "These friends of yours?"

I nodded. "Yep, and in fact, a few would like to sing tonight" I said, which raised a collective, rather excited gasp, along with an excited squeal from Rin.

"Really? We can sing here?!" she said excitedly, bouncing up and down excitedly. The bartender nodded.

"Sure. I suppose we good let them try it out" he shrugged. "Who's first?" He eyed Rin, obviously noting her excitement. Before he could say anything, Rin was off like a shot towards the DJ. She had to put out her hands to stop her momentum.

"Are you the DJ!?" The obvious DJ looked up from checking his equipment to address the girl. He was a tan skinned young man, teenaged for sure, and had a genuine smile. Though he didn't look like a DJ, dressed in white flat sneakers, cargo jean shorts, a white t-shirt with "Puerto Rico" on it in blue letters, a blue button-up shirt left open over it, and a white beanie with 光 written on it in blue.

"That's right, Angel Shouraki at your service! I take it you want to sing?" The young man asked with a smile. Rin nodded eagerly, jumping up and down in place.

"Yes, yes, yes! Do you have a song called Meltdown? By Kagamine Rin?" she inquired, putting on a cute face.

The young man, now identified as Angel, withdrew a CD from his bag without skipping a beat, "of course. Didn't think I'd get to use it." He admitted with a grin. Rin thanked him profusely and skipped steps onto the stage, leaning close to the microphone with glee.

Waiting for the music to start, she glanced out over the crowd. They seemed mildly interested in the young girl on the stage. Rin flashed her brightest smile at them, her energy beginning to spread to them. Under the cover of the distraction, I discretely set my laptop on the speaker system, hooking it up to allow their voices to project through the speakers when I selected their programs. I clicked Rin's and walked back without so much as someone batting an eye. Except maybe the DJ...

The piano began, and Rin closed her eyes, feeling the song. Our group, and everyone else watched her raptly, waiting for the start. The music reached the start of the vocals and...

"Machiakari hanayaka!" she started into that familiar rapid paced song, the crowd quickly picking up on the tune, many leaning towards the stage to hear better. I let out a sigh of relief, for even though it was an open minded crowd, I was still worried about how they'd receive the foreign music.

Soon, the people were moving along with the beat, some mouthing along, not knowing the words, but trying anyway. "She's great!" one man nearby commented, which brought a smile to my face. Turning, I could see Len was equally enthused.

"Any idea what songs people want to sing?" I asked the others on the low part of the song.

"I was thinking maybe Conchita" Meiko suggested, smirking at the shiver that Kaito subconsciously gave. I chuckled slightly, knowing full well Kaito's fate in that song.

"Knowing Rin" Len began, "she'll drag me up next, giving some kind of crazy speech. Might as well plot what I'll sing...hm...perhaps Dream-Eating Monochrome Baku?" he mused. As if a prophecy coming true, Rin chose that time to finish, bowing to the applause.

"If you liked that, then you'll love my brother!" she said enthusiastically, gesturing to Len, who sunk into his seat, trying to avoid everybody's eyes. The crowd clapped and cheered him on, and Rin's eager smile convinced him, though he still looked like a man going to his own funeral.

Len went up, and took a deep breath. "DJ, can you play Dream Eating Monochrome Baku?"

"You guys must love vocaloid, comin' right up!" Angel said cheerfully as he selected the track. Len nodded thankfully, and turn back to the microphone, closing his eyes, showing once again how close in relation to Rin was as they both had similar habits.

Walking back over to the laptop quickly, I switched to Len, and leaned against the speaker, deciding I might as well just hang out there. Lance could watch the Vocaloids well enough himself. I noticed the DJ was giving me a look. I tried to casually ignore it, hoping that would lessen the suspicion if I didn't look conspicuous.

"Doko kara kita no?" Len began, and once again the crowd tuned in. I started to move my head with the beat. I got the distinct feeling the DJ would confront me after this song, but until then, I would just watch over Len's performance.

Eventually, his song came to an end, and the crowd cheered once again. Len walked with a little bit of pride and smiled as he passed me. I switched his voice off the speakers, looking up to see who was next.

"Need something?" The DJ interrupted. I turned to face him with a smile.

"No, just here to watch my friends" I explained with a smile, hoping deeply he wouldn't try to dig too deep into it.

"And the laptop?"

"I'm trying to record them. They want to get noticed by producers and I'm helping them with demos. Just trying to get some good quality over here." As if coming to save me, none other than Meiko arrived.

"Something going on?" she asked politely.

"No, just trying to explain to your friend the sound quality is horrible for recording, he's behind the speakers."

"You worried about this guy? He's harmless" she teased. "He's just a little tired is dragged halfway around the city by us today. Right?" she asked hintingly.

I nodded my head, swinging around to in front of the speakers. "Sorry, it was hell today. I hope I didn't upset you" he offered the DJ.

"Nothin' to apologize for, song ma'am?"

"Evil Food Eater Conchita" she said loudly, and mostly directed at Kaito. The target shrunk down in his seat, trying to avoid Meiko's gaze. "He's just a little weird. Afraid I'll beat him or something stupid like that" she teased with a smile.

"Conchita... Imagine that..." Angel said quietly to himself, not unsuspiciously. I tried to repress the concern I felt, focusing on the performance. Meiko smiled cheerfully to the DJ, and pranced up onto the stage. I activated Meiko's voice as the song started. I sighed, realizing I would have to face the DJ again when the next one came up.

Indeed, when Kaito came to perform, I had to turn to face the DJ.

"Couple in the evening?" Kaito nodded.

"It should be a Kaito song" he offered helpfully.

"Of course, you're good to go." The DJ waved him toward the stage. Kaito bowed respectfully and walked up onto the stage. I triggered his program next.

Angel leaned toward me, "so... What recording program are you using...?" I took a silent breath, trying to steel my nerves.

"My friend recommended it to me. I'm not exactly sure which it is, but it works well" I said, trying to sound somewhat clueless, when in actuality, I knew every intimate detail of the program.

"Really? Shouldn't it say so at the top of the window?"

"Really? Is that how it works? I'm kinda new to this..."

"Yet you carry that laptop around."

"I'm used to a computer for writing, but when it comes to recording systems, it's new to me. My friend gave me basic instructions, and I've been using that."

"You seem to be pulling it off pretty easily for a noob." I was about to speak again when Kaito's song ended. Kaito bowed to the DJ and returned to his seat.

"Which of your friends is next? Miku or Haku?"

"How do you mean?" I asked cluelessly, trying to conceal my terror.

The DJ pointed at each girl in turn, "Miku, or Haku?" My eyes widened and before I could think of how to reply-

"Your friends happen to look alot like the Vocaloids, they must get adored at comicon."

I quickly tried to regain my composure, half-successfully. "Yes. I remember we cosplayed one time. Got a lot of compliments on the costumes."

"They must've been rushed today, so who's next?" He asked with a smile.

"If we're going by the cosplay names, then I guess Miku's up next" I motioned to the approaching figure. She smiled a thousand watt smile at the DJ, looking as beautiful and cute as she could, sensing my predicament.

"Hello sir" she said sweetly.

"World is mine, this time it's my request. Would you mind?" He asked with a smile.

"Not at all. I'd love to" she smiled again and skipped onto the stage, winking to me and giving the DJ a thumbs up. I quickly triggered her, knowing the quick start of the song.

"Sekai de ichi-ban Ohime-sama" she sang in that very familiar tone. One I had listened to many times. One Angel was sure to recognize.

"That's a nice laptop you have there." Angel observed, running a hand across its surface.

"It's a Dell Inspiron" I explained, entranced with Miku's song. She was really into it.

"How many GB?" He asked, curious.

"80 GB" I responded absently.

"Miku's quite the singer isn't she?"

"Yes...she's amazing" I agreed, completely enthralled by her singing. I imagine Angel must have sensed my feelings, for he said:

"She really means alot to you, doesn't she?"

"Eh?!" I jumped at the question. 'Oh! Ah...as a friend...or...uh...yes?" I could feel the massive blush on my face.

Angel chuckled at my distress, and I thought it was disconcerting someone so much younger could read me like that. He spoke again, "I'll give you some advice. As human beings, our time spent on this earth is ephemeral. Too much of that time is wasted lying to others, even more so when lying to ourselves." The words struck deep, hitting their target. I nodded slowly.

"Also, you're a really bad liar." He suddenly teased. I tensed slightly, wondering if he meant it or not. I struggled to find words to explain myself. As if another blessing was bestowed on me, Miku chose that moment to interrupt.

"How was I?" she asked Angel cheerfully.

"You sang like my namesake, it was wonderful. Right?" He asked me, not without a prolonged glance.

Taking Angel's advice, I said. "You sang beautifully! It was fantastic" I assured with a genuine smile. Miku fidgeted slightly, a mild blush creeping up into her face.

"Thanks...it means a lot" she admitted, immediately flushing bright red, bowing hastily and fleeing to the relative safety of the table.

"Recorded her performance ok?"

"Perfectly..." I trailed, still focusing on Miku. I would have kept zoning out if Haku hadn't quietly gotten my attention.

"Is it my turn?" she asked quietly, as if her voice would destroy the world if she spoke too loudly.

"Miss Haku, we've been expecting you. Nervous? Don't be." Despite his assurances, Haku rubbed her arm nervously, averting her gaze and trying not to meet anyone's eyes.

"I'd like to sing The Parting Glass" she offered quietly.

"Interesting choice" Angel commented, genuinely surprised. My own surprise mimicked his as he rummaged through his disks until he found the correct one.

"All set, you'll do great." Haku gave a small smile and went up onto the stage. The patrons knew that this was the last song, as it was nearing the end of the karaoke times. The gazed at her, expectations high from the previous performances.

"Of all the money that ever I spent... I spent it in good company..." she sang softly and quietly, her voice hanging in the air with great effect. The audience, interested in actually knowing what she was saying, was really getting into it.

"And all the harm that e'er I've done

Alas, it was to none but me And all the harm that e'er I've done

Alas, it was to none but me

And all I've done for want of wit

To memory now I can't recall

So fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be with you all

Oh all the comrades that e'er I've had

Are sorry for my going away

And all the sweethearts that e'er I've had

Would wish me one more day to stay

But since it falls unto my lot

That I should rise and you should not

I'll gently rise and I'll softly call

Goodnight and joy be with you all."

And when Haku finished, quietly trailing off, the crowd stood and applauded, many raising their glasses to her. Haku stood, a look of shock on her face as she struggled to figure out a reaction. Gently, I motioned for her to bow. Not so gently, Angel gestured for her to smile wide. Haku did so, still flustered, then quickly retreated, the people rushing to congratulate her. In my hurry to prevent them from touching her, I forgot my laptop. I interposed myself between the crowd and Haku.

"Let's get you back to your seat" I offered quietly, gently ushering her back to the table, trying to comfort her nerves. As she sat, I remembered my laptop, and rushed back to the DJ's stand.

Angel clicked the mousepad before I could reach it. "There, I'm sure you got that one loud and clear." I bowed thankfully.

"Thanks for pausing it for me. I forgot about it in my haste" I said as I took my laptop up into my arms.

"No problem, though it must've been hard to record Miku with the dead mic I plugged into your laptop." I went stone still. When had he done that? I cast a nervous glance at the group, who were celebrating away. I turned back to Angel.

"What are you saying?" I asked with a small chuckle, hoping to take the brunt of this myself.

"Nothing really. You seem to know the specs of your laptop too, so you aren't clueless. And just for good measure, I unplugged the stage mic before Haku went on."

"So you're saying that I what?" I knew I was tempting fate, but I might as well figure out how much he suspected.

"I'm not saying anything particular, just babbling nonsense. I earned my night's pay. So I should get going." He grinned and began packing up.

I debated talking more, but I didn't want to fuel the fire. "Thanks for allowing them to sing" I bowed. "Hope you have a good night. Might come back again some time."

Angel simply threw a wave over his shoulder, "I have a different job every day. Maybe I'll be a bartender next time."

"In any case, you're welcome whenever we perform. Good night" I gave him a non-chalant wave and walked back to my family, more than a little tired. I noticed Miku's gaze on me, or at least my person.

"Something up Miku?" I asked. She pointed to my hand, which I raised into my vision. Written on it in blue marker were the words 'check your pocket'. I checked one pocket, then another, and finally my left pocket, finding something inside. It was a note and a flash drive. I opened the note and read it, 'I recorded the show for real, told you you're bad at lying.'

My face flushed and I quickly stuck the note back in. When had he done that? Turning, I saw he was already gone. Like a specter. A slightly insane one. Still, it was nice of him to record the show, even if it was mainly to mess with me or something. "What is it Adam?" Miku asked quietly.

I shook my head and put on a smile. "Just wanted to tell me he hoped to see us perform again. You know, that kind of stuff." While I may have been bad at lying, it seemed Miku bought it, though not without a suspicious look.

"Then we'll just have to perform again won't we?" she asked with a smile. I nodded back.

"I guess we will" I assured with a smile. A lot had happened today, and my head was in a blur, so much so, I almost missed a print shop on the way home. Remembering Haku's pictures, I dropped in. I noted they had a delivery service for pictures, and left the SD card and the address. They assured they would have the pictures as soon as possible. I thanked them, and as a family, we headed home, tired from the unusual day.

Author's Note: Hurray! I was up late (along with my co-author) writing this one. But all because we love you guys. Hope you enjoyed. Angel was mostly written by my co-author, who did a great job! Also, SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! HE-*interrupted by co-author*

NA6425: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don't announcement block me Johnclaw!

A/N: Fine! You can announce it. *sulks in corner*

NA6425: I have my own fanfictions in the works to look forward to, they'll be my first posted pieces and I hope everyone enjoys them. The first will be a Katawa Shoujo (Sneak attack A/N: A fandom I highly recommend! ^^) Umm... Yeah... The first will be a Katawa Shoujo fanfiction, named Katawa Shoujo: Fragile Hearts. Which Johnclaw has actually read some of, JD?

A/N: We're switching roles! NA6425 will be the author and I'll be helping edit! This means it'll be on his profile. I highly recommend it, and not for my own work, but for his hard work and dedication.

NA6425: That's right, the second fanfiction I plan on uploading will be a Sekirei fanfiction. The name is not decided and Johnclaw hasn't read any of it yet, as it will need to be revived from my dusty IRL notebook.

A/N: I think that's all for tonight...right? If that's the case, good night! Thanks for reading!

NA6425: thank you for reading! And as always, review if you liked it (or even if you didn't) and remember to follow this story if you wanna see more.

And don't forget! Katawa Shoujo: Fragile Hearts and a Sekirei fanfiction, coming soon!


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